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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24309091">Just Another Cinderella Story</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kishirokitsune/pseuds/Kishirokitsune'>Kishirokitsune</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Cinderella AU, F/M, Falling In Love, Head Guard Allura, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Keith is Cinderella, Lotor is Keith's wicked stepbrother, M/M, Magic, Minor Curtis/Shiro (Voltron), Minor Violence, Pidge's personal guard is made up of all women, Plant Magic, Princess Katherine Holt, Shiro is the Fairy Godmother, Stargazing, every chapter is named for a flower, inspired primarily by the movie Ever After</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:21:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>24,327</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24309091</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kishirokitsune/pseuds/Kishirokitsune</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Once upon a time, there was a boy who was left in the care of his uncaring stepmother. Raised in a life of servitude and seeing his stepbrother lavished with praise and given everything he desired, the boy knew there was only one way he would ever be free. If their dreams of marrying into a life of luxury came true, then he would be left with his childhood home and he would finally be able to turn his life around.</p><p>Of course, Fate often has other plans in mind.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Pidge (Voltron), Keith/Pidge | Katie Holt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>112</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Saponaria officinalis</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It began as all old tales did, with a child who was pure of heart and thrust into a situation beyond their control. In this case, the child was a boy whose kind father was taken from him far too early, leaving him in the clutches of his wicked stepmother.</p>
<p>He grew up in servitude and hoped that one day things would get better. Perhaps one day, when his stepmother's wish to marry her perfect son to a rich princess came true, they would leave his father's house and him behind. Until then, he would keep his head down and work as hard as he could.</p>
<p>It didn't always work. There was always something his stepmother found not to her liking and his stepbrother was even worse with his constant criticism.</p>
<p>His life wasn't all bad, however. Every now and then, under the guise of gathering wild berries in the woods, he could get away and visit a friend.</p>
<p>Keith met Takashi Shirogane purely by accident.</p>
<p>It happened on a hot summer day on one of the rare occasions he opened his big mouth and talked back to his stepbrother, earning himself a series of painful lashings that split the skin across his back badly enough to bleed. He was then sent out into the woods to gather wood for the stove. When he inevitably collapsed, Shiro was the one who found him.</p>
<p>The man was called a witch by the townsfolk and he lived in a cabin with his partner, Curtis. The two of them took Keith in, cleaned and bandaged his wounds, and fed him before allowing him to leave.</p>
<p>Keith couldn't go to them often, but whenever he felt his patience wearing thin he found an excuse to get away.</p>
<p>As always, Shiro and Curtis welcomed him to their cozy cabin with open arms. Shiro took his basket from him and gestured for Keith to take a seat, while he filled the basket with a variety of herbs and berries, giving credence to Keith's excuse.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Keith said as he sat down, sinking into the soft furniture with a relieved sigh.</p>
<p>“How is your back?” Curtis asked from where he stood in the kitchen. There was a dusting of flour covering his hands and the front of his apron, and luckily there was none was sprinkled through his brown hair. (Keith had yet to see Curtis <em>not</em> looking like a mess while he was baking.)</p>
<p>“It feels tight sometimes, but it doesn't hurt anymore,” Keith said.</p>
<p>Shiro stopped filling the basket and went to a nearby cupboard, where he selected a green clay container. He uncorked it and looked inside, nodding in satisfaction at what he saw.</p>
<p>Knowing what was coming next, Keith stripped out of his shirt and folded it up in his lap, turning so Shiro had better access to his back. He pulled his hair forward so it was no longer in the way either.</p>
<p>Shiro sat down on the couch next to him and dipped his fingers into the jar, scooping out a generous amount of salve. He gently smoothed it over the scars and smiled at Keith's initial flinch, knowing it was due to the unusual coolness and mild tingle it produced on contact. “This should help with the tightness. You know if you allowed me to apply this more regularly, you wouldn't be able to tell that there are any scars.”</p>
<p>“You know I can't do that,” Keith murmured, relaxing under Shiro's light touch.</p>
<p>“They don't deserve you.”</p>
<p>Keith had nothing to say to that. It was a conversation they had every time he saw Shiro and it always ended with Keith returning to his personal hell.</p>
<p>He knew he could leave and his so-called family would presume him dead and continue on with their lives, glad to be rid of him. <em>They</em> weren't the reason he stayed. He stayed for the manor; it was his father's home and the place which held all of his fond memories of what little time they shared together. The thought of leaving made him feel as though he was abandoning all of that.</p>
<p>“How long are you staying today, Keith?” Curtis asked.</p>
<p>“Long enough that I no longer want to strange Lotor with his stupid hair,” Keith grumbled in response, earning a chuckle from the other two men.</p>
<p>“Ah, so you're moving in,” Curtis joked with a grin.</p>
<p>Keith tried not to smile, knowing it would only encourage them. “I might stay the night and leave before sunrise, if that's alright.”</p>
<p>“You won't get in trouble for being gone for so long?” Shiro replaced the cork on top of the jar and stood to put it away.</p>
<p>“They're entertaining for the evening and gave me specific instructions to stay out of sight. As long as I'm back to serve them breakfast, they won't care.”</p>
<p>Shiro stood up and headed back to the cupboard to put away the jar. “In that case, I'm going to prepare a proper bath for you. I know I just applied the salve, but there's one that will work even better after you've soaked for a while. No arguments.”</p>
<p>Keith made a frustrated sound, but Shiro was already heading for the back door. He watched as Shiro paused for a moment to whisper to Curtis before he walked through the door and disappeared into the sprawling garden.</p>
<p>He knew there was no point in arguing. Shiro would give him a sad look and Keith's resolve would crumble, unable to stand the idea of disappointing someone who genuinely cared about him.</p>
<p>Keith turned his attention to Curtis instead. “Who are you baking for today?”</p>
<p>“Well, I suppose it's for you since you'll be joining us for dinner,” Curtis said, giving him a fond smile. “Shiro suggested I make it. He does that sometimes, when he believes we'll have a visitor who could use a good meal. I hope you like blackberry cobbler.”</p>
<p>“That sounds incredible,” Keith said, unable to say for sure if he would like it. As long as Curtis was the one doing the cooking, he was sure it would all be delicious.</p>
<p>Keith struggled to properly relax while he waited for Shiro to return. He was so used to working all day that it felt unnatural to sit and do nothing. Maybe Curtis would let him clean the pots and pans?</p>
<p>He doubted it.</p>
<p>Shiro came and went, flitting about like a man on a mission. He didn't stop to talk to either of them. All of his focus was on the task he had set for himself. Just when Keith was about to beg Curtis to give him something to do, Shiro returned and herded him to a smaller room where a deep tub of steaming water was waiting for him. It smelled faintly of herbs, but Keith couldn't tell which ones.</p>
<p>Next to the tub was a bench that held several jars of soaps, a towel, and a fresh set of clothing.</p>
<p>“Shiro-”</p>
<p>“You deserve this,” Shiro firmly cut in, not allowing Keith to finish his sentence. “Wash up and relax. I'll knock when I think you've been in here long enough and then you can get out. I'd like to apply the new salve before you put a shirt on. After that, you're welcome to help me with a few things before dinner.”</p>
<p>“Don't do anything to my normal clothes,” Keith said.</p>
<p>Shiro sighed heavily as though he really wanted to disagree, but instead he promised he wouldn't do anything to them.</p>
<p>Keith waited for him to leave before removing his threadbare clothing, carefully folding each item, and setting them aside in an attempt to keep them reasonably neat. He then eased himself into the hot water, letting it soothe his aching body. The soft scents of whatever herbs Shiro put into the water lulled him into a relaxed state, clearing his mind and giving him a moment of peace that he hadn't realized he needed.</p>
<p>He felt incredible by the time Shiro knocked on the door and it was with some reluctance that he climbed out of the tub and began to dry himself off, leaving his hair for last. He then swiftly dressed in the undergarments and pants, marveling over how soft it was and feeling a little undeserving of such finery.</p>
<p>Keith carried the shirt and accompanying vest with him out to the main room, where Shiro swooped in to rub a new salve over his back, though he first ran his fingers through Keith's damp curls, tugging free any tangles he found.</p>
<p>“Don't bother. I'm going to chop it off soon,” Keith said, reaching back to pull his hair from Shiro's hands.</p>
<p>“You shouldn't,” Shiro said in a tone that implied he knew something but wasn't ready to reveal what he knew. He uncorked a new jar and spread its contents over the scars on Keith's back, one at a time.</p>
<p>Unlike the first salve, it felt surprisingly warm and remained that way once Shiro was done.</p>
<p>“You shouldn't have any more problems with your back,” Shiro said.</p>
<p>“Really?” Keith twisted around to look at him in surprise. “What's the difference between this one and the one you used earlier?”</p>
<p>“The other one relieves pain and softens the scar tissue so it doesn't pull as tightly. It's a quick fix for anyone who needs to stay active and is normally best suited for minor aches and pains. This one heals more deeply than that, but you can't strain yourself for at least six hours so it has time to work,” Shiro explained. “I've found that it also helps to take a warm bath beforehand.”</p>
<p>Keith didn't fully understand how any of it worked and he doubted he ever would, so he nodded along with what Shiro said and accepted it as the truth.</p>
<p>“So I have to sit still even longer? I thought you wanted my help with something,” he said, crinkling his nose.</p>
<p>“I do want your help,” Shiro said brightly. He stood up, taking the jar with him so he could put it back. “It's nothing strenuous and a little activity won't hurt anything.”</p>
<p>“I'll do it,” Keith agreed without waiting to hear what he would be doing. It didn't matter, so long as he didn't have to sit still.</p>
<p>Shiro returned to give his back one last look over and then directed Keith to put on the shirt and jacket. Keith almost left the vest off. He took a moment to trace his fingers over the white embroidery spiraling over one of the pockets and to marvel over how soft and warm the red fabric was. It was far nicer than anything he'd ever been allowed to wear and it was only the fact that it was clearly well-worn that had him shrugging it on.</p>
<p>Shiro nodded in approval. “Sit and turn your back to me. I'm doing something with your hair.”</p>
<p>“Any reason why you're determined to dress me up today?” Keith did as his friend asked without waiting for the answer. He soon felt gentle fingers return to his curls, once again working on getting rid of the tangles.</p>
<p>“Do I need a reason?” Shiro asked, and though his tone was lighthearted, Keith was sure he could detect an edge of frustration.</p>
<p>“Well, no... I guess not.”</p>
<p>Shiro continued to work on his hair until he could get his fingers through without catching on a single knot and then began to gather sections as he debated how he wanted to arrange Keith's hairstyle. He muttered to himself and Keith wasn't entirely sure it was fully in English because there was so much of it he couldn't understand.</p>
<p>Eventually, Shiro settled on a simple, single braid.</p>
<p>“Now you're ready to help me,” he said as he stood up. He held out a hand for Keith to take and helped him stand.</p>
<p>Keith expected an evening in the garden, gathering herbs and flowers of all varieties so that Shiro could dry them or do whatever he needed, but instead he was led to a room he'd never been allowed inside. He realized why immediately.</p>
<p>Shelves lined the walls, filled with a variety of pots and baskets. One was specifically for hanging dried plants. Another held books of all sizes. In the very center was the room was a cauldron on a pedestal, with a fire pit beneath it that lit itself the moment the door was shut.</p>
<p>If Keith ever needed confirmation that <em>maybe </em>the stories of Shiro being a witch were true, that was it. He wasn't worried though. Shiro had never given him a reason to distrust him.</p>
<p>“Should I really be in here?” Keith asked.</p>
<p>“I don't see why not. I normally get Curtis to help me with things like this,” Shiro told him. “Healing salves require quiet and I have to do those myself, but I also make soaps. That's what you'll be helping me with today. Could you get that basket of soapwort?”</p>
<p>Keith took a moment to look around, crossing off a number of plants before he came across one with a few white flowers still attached. “This one?”</p>
<p>“That's it,” Shiro said with a nod. “Take it over to the table and start chopping one of the bundles. Try and get the pieces as evenly as you can, but don't stress if they aren't. Once you have a full bundle cut, you can put it in the cauldron and add one jar of dried soapwort so it can all boil together.” He walked over to one of the shelves and plucked up a fist-sized jar, which he took over to the table where Keith would be working.</p>
<p>“Do you do this a lot?” Keith asked as he got to work.</p>
<p>“At least once a week I make a lemon soap for Curtis to take into town and sell with his pies,” Shiro said. “The one we're making is for a friend. Nettle and rose this time, I think.”</p>
<p>Keith focused on what he was doing as Shiro got lost in his own musings, as he was prone to do when he was working on something he found important. He found chopping the soapwort a relaxing activity and quickly finished the single bundle he was asked to do. He swept it all up into another jar – when did that get there? - and then carried the fresh and dry soapwort to the cauldron and dumped it all in. The ladle stirred it all together on its own.</p>
<p>The blatant display of magic had Keith gasping in surprise.</p>
<p>Shiro looked over at the sound. “Ah, sorry about that. It's charmed to automatically stir. I've had one too many recipes burn while I was trying to get everything in order. The wind chimes are the same.” He pointed to the ceiling, where a few copper tubes were hanging in close proximity.</p>
<p>“It's fine. I just wasn't expecting it,” Keith said, backing away from the cauldron with slight weariness. He breathed in, reminding himself that he trusted Shiro and that the magic was useful and not dangerous, and then walked over to see if his friend needed any other help. “So, uh, what now?”</p>
<p>“Now we add the rose and nettle so it can boil along with the soapwort,” Shiro said, handing Keith one jar. “Both are good for the skin, but I use rose petals specifically for the scent.”</p>
<p>Keith and Shiro spent most of the evening in the little room, working first on a liquid soap for Shiro's mystery friend, and then on a smaller jar of lemon soap that he insisted Keith take home for general household cleaning. By the time they emerged, laughing and joking around, Curtis was nearly finished with dinner.</p>
<p>“You're taking this better than I thought. Even Curtis avoided me for two days when I first showed him my magic,” Shiro complimented.</p>
<p>“Hey, in my defense, you didn't exactly ease me into it,” Curtis spoke up, an amused smile on his face. “<em>And</em> I spent those two days calling myself an idiot for running from you.”</p>
<p>“I suppose I could have broken in the news a <em>bit</em> more gently...”</p>
<p>Keith couldn't help but smile as he listened to them banter back and forth. It was yet another thing that generally went unsaid in regards to Shiro's life; the exact nature of his partnership with Curtis was central to much of the town gossip, always spoken about in whisper and yet somehow without judgment. It was treated as any other talk about who liked who.</p>
<p>All Keith cared about was how happy they were together.</p>
<p>Shiro stepped into the kitchen, mischief in his expression, but before he could do whatever he was planning on, a horse whinnied outside and he turned around to go out and greet their new visitor instead.</p>
<p>“Keith, come with me,” he instructed.</p>
<p>Keith glanced over at Curtis, who only shrugged and went back to cooking. With no help forthcoming he followed after Shiro. Outside they found a cloaked rider astride a dappled gray horse and as Shiro approached the rider pushed back their hood to reveal a young woman with light brown hair.</p>
<p>“It's good to see you, Pidge,” Shiro greeted as he grasped one end of the reigns. He held the horse steady as the woman swung her legs over and hopped down.</p>
<p>“Hi, Shiro. And Shiro's new friend.” She flashed a quick smile at Keith before turning her attention back to Shiro. “I hope I'm not interrupting. I know it isn't exactly one of my scheduled visits, but I had to get away for a while.”</p>
<p>“You're always welcome here,” Shiro said. “Keith, would you mind helping her inside while I take Jasmine to the barn?”</p>
<p>Keith nodded and held out his hand for her to take, which she did with a smile that seemed amused. Keith was sure that meant he was doing something wrong or not quite appropriate, but she didn't call him out on it and let him walk her into the cabin, where she also greeted Curtis and complimented him on how good the food smelled.</p>
<p>“Another guest for dinner,” Curtis said, sounding delighted. “Why don't you both wash up. We'll be ready to eat once Shiro comes back inside.”</p>
<p>There were two pumps that Keith knew of. One was in the kitchen and the other in the washroom, which was where he and Pidge headed to clean up as Curtis asked. He let Pidge go first.</p>
<p>“So, how long have you known Shiro and Curtis?” she asked, curiosity coloring her tone.</p>
<p>Keith shrugged. “A few years, I guess. Shiro's helped me out of a few bad scrapes.”</p>
<p>“Me too.”</p>
<p>Keith glanced at her, wondering what trouble she could have possibly gotten in that would mean Shiro had to step in and help. Though she tried to hide it beneath a plain cloak, he could tell she was of noble blood and likely under heavy protection. He wouldn't be surprised if she had guards stationed out in the forest to watch for any danger.</p>
<p>“He saved my brother three years ago. Ever since then I try and visit with gifts to thank him for everything that he's done. Of course, it's hard to get him to accept anything so it's always something he'll find useful and not all that difficult to find...” Pidge sighed as she stepped aside to dry off her hands, letting Keith access the pump.</p>
<p>“He is stubborn like that,” Keith agreed. He quickly scrubbed his hands clean and then accepted the towel from Pidge so he could dry off before they went to eat.</p>
<p>Dinner was full of lively conversation and delicious food. Keith had to stop himself from taking second helpings of everything, knowing that the richness of it all would only disagree with his stomach. He had to slow down a few times and focus on listening to what everyone was saying instead.</p>
<p>Pidge was especially chatty, full of witty jokes and a tendency to ramble on when she was particularly interested in a topic. Shiro encouraged her in subtle ways; through a question or a quick statement, leading her through a wide range of subjects that were all equally fascinating to hear, even if Keith didn't understand all of what was being said.</p>
<p>It was by far one of the best meals Keith had ever had. He was almost sorry when it was over and Shiro and Curtis shooed him and Pidge outside while they cleaned up, ignoring all of their protests.</p>
<p>Keith stared at the door, his arms crossed over his chest as he waited for some sign that Shiro would let them back in. Minutes passed without any movement and Pidge grew tired of waiting.</p>
<p>“You know, you get a pretty good view of the stars around here,” she mentioned. “Want to stargaze with me?”</p>
<p>The question was unexpected. Keith was stunned for several long seconds before he found his voice long enough to agree. He followed her down the path into the garden, where there was a stone bench surrounded by tall-growing flowers, all of which were beginning to close up without the sunlight shining down on them.</p>
<p>Pidge sat down first, laying her cloak across the bench to provide slight warmth to the cold stone. “Sometimes I get the feeling that Shiro knows more than he lets on. He's not going to let us back in until he thinks we've made friends,” she said, patting the space next to her.</p>
<p>“He does always seem to know when I'm coming to visit,” Keith admitted as he took a seat. “Why stargazing though?”</p>
<p>“You'd rather stare at the door until he lets us go inside?” she asked with a grin.</p>
<p>“No. No, this is better,” Keith agreed, tilting his head back. It had been so long since he last took the time to look at the stars, but as he sat there he was brought back to a time when his dad was still alive. How many nights had they laid out under the stars, telling stories based on the legendary figures dotting the skies? What kinds of stories did Pidge know?</p>
<p>He didn't have to wonder for long.</p>
<p>Some of her stories he had heard before. Others were new. And then he was able to share the ones he knew from his dad and had the pleasure of watching her face light up in joy at hearing new stories.</p>
<p>When Shiro opened the door to let them in, neither of them noticed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Rosa canina</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you everyone, for all of your kind reviews! I'm glad you're all enjoying my take on a classic fairy-tale.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pidge woke to sunlight streaming in through the window and the scent of fresh bread warming in the oven. She pushed back the linen blankets, slowly stretching as she swung her legs over the side of the bed before standing. Her borrowed nightgown fluttered around her ankles as she walked to where her riding clothes were waiting, cleaned and folded in a tidy pile. She smiled as she stripped out of the gown and began to redress.</p>
<p>The soft scent of honeysuckle washed over her as she pulled her blouse over her head and tucked it into her breeches. Her green bodice went on over that and laced up in the front in a crisscross pattern. The last thing she had to do was tame her hair, smoothing it down so she could weave a braid to drape over her shoulder. She tied it off with a spare strip of fabric and then headed out to find the source of the delicious smelling bread.</p>
<p>Curtis was in the place where she saw him most, preparing his baskets to take down to the market. All of his pies were carefully wrapped so they would survive the long journey intact.</p>
<p>“Did you sleep well, princess?” he asked.</p>
<p>“I did,” Pidge replied. “Is Shiro in the garden?”</p>
<p>Curtis nodded. “Could you take breakfast to him and let him know I'm leaving?” He gestured to two bowls with equal portions of bread resting on top.</p>
<p>Pidge agreed and wished him luck in town before gathering up the breakfast and heading out into the garden. Birdsong filled the air and a gentle breeze glided over her skin, providing a little relief under the heat of the rapidly rising sun. After a bit of searching, she found Shiro among the roses.</p>
<p>“Curtis sent me with food,” she said as she approached.</p>
<p>Shiro clipped one last bloom and placed it into his basket before setting everything down. He wiped his hands on a cloth he kept specifically for that purpose and then joined her on a stone bench near a trellis of climbing roses. He took the food with a grateful smile and then they both began to eat, letting themselves get wrapped up in comfortable quiet.</p>
<p>Pidge loved it in the gardens. They were so different from the ones back at the palace, which were all uniform and well-kept. Shiro's were well-tended as well but allowed to grow more freely, not quite wild but not hard edges either. It was a place where she could shrug away her duties and responsibilities to just be herself and not Princess Katie.</p>
<p>She slowly ate, content to spend as much time as possible among the thorny plants, but there was only so long she could keep that up before the bowl was empty. “So, I guess you know about the newest royal decree...”</p>
<p>“I may have heard a few whispers about a royal ball. And of the King's wish to find an appropriate suitor for his daughter,” Shiro responded. “How do you feel about all of that?”</p>
<p>Pidge clenched one hand into a fist. “I- I don't know. Angry? Upset? Matt was able to wait until he was eighteen before he made his choice, but I'm only sixteen! I should have two more years just like he did! I mean, I know dad's getting older and he wants to know that I'll be taken care of, you know, even though I can do it myself, but that doesn't make it less frustrating. How am I supposed to pick someone after one night?! I'll be expected to socialize with everyone there, it's not like I'll have time to actually talk to anyone long enough to know that they'll be good for me.”</p>
<p>She appreciated that Shiro let her rant on without interruption, letting loose all of the frustration she felt after weeks of keeping it pent up. And once she was done, Shiro had nothing to say about her lack of ladylike manners or that she should just go along with it all because it was her duty as the princess.</p>
<p>Shiro pulled her into a one-armed hug. “You have always been a smart and capable young woman. I have no doubt that your heart will guide you to the person who is best suited to stand by your side.”</p>
<p>But what about falling in love?</p>
<p>She didn't voice her question out loud. It was a silly desire. A wish not meant for a princess, who was so bound to her duty and her people that matters of the heart were inconsequential. The most she could hope for was a partner who was kind and genuinely wanted to rule by her side. She could wish for friendship.</p>
<p>“Don't suppose you have a spell for that,” Pidge muttered, leaning against him and soaking up the comfort he was offering while she could.</p>
<p>“I don't think you need something like that,” Shiro told her. “But maybe there's something I can do to help.” He moved his arm away as he stood up and gathered his dishes before gesturing to the cottage.</p>
<p>She had meant it as a passing comment; something that didn't need a response and was simply a reflection of her emotional state, but hearing that there was something that could help her was enough to spark her interest. Could he really help?</p>
<p>They cleaned up their dishes first and Shiro asked a round of questions, trying to figure out if she would prefer a perfume or a tea to drink, while also musing to himself which one would be more effective. Pidge listened in fascination. It was rare that she had the chance to listen to his thought process play out and she enjoyed the moment while she could, following him with some amusement to a side room she'd never been allowed in before.</p>
<p>Pidge jumped as a fire flickered to life in the center of the room, unaided by anyone. She watched as Shiro waved his hand toward it and it died down, leaving only the faint glow of orange embers.</p>
<p>“Do you need me to do anything?” she asked.</p>
<p>Shiro shook his head. “Stand there for a moment. I've been thinking about the best way to approach this... How will you wear your hair during the ball?”</p>
<p>Pidge shrugged. It was never really her choice, but she assumed it would be styled into some sort of fancy up-do, so she told him as much. Shiro nodded as though he expected that answer and retrieved a few stones from a nearby shelf before holding them out for her to take a look.</p>
<p>“Pick one.”</p>
<p>Pidge took her time looking at them and spent some time debating between one that was a smooth green and another that was a crystalline dark purple before selecting the purple.</p>
<p>“Excellent!” Shiro exclaimed, putting the others back. He then browsed through his collection of herbs, selecting a few of them as he went. “Caraway, carnation – ah! Celandine! What else? Perhaps fern? No, wait, hawthorn would be best in this case. I'll have to go out and harvest a branch. Ivy may work as well... Yes, celandine and ivy. Something colorful as well. Vervain to match the amethyst? Or lavender? No, something else. Rose.” He paused, eyeing his collection, and then spun to place it all across the table.</p>
<p>Pidge watched, a little bewildered, as Shiro wordlessly sprinted from the room. She could hear a door shut and shifted her feet, unsure if she was meant to follow him. He returned before she made up her mind, clutching a vine that had thorns and pink flowers. He set it with the others on the desk and then gestured her closer.</p>
<p>“This is a trickier bit of magic than I normally perform and if I've chosen everything correctly, it will hold for several years,” Shiro said. “Amethyst is a multi-purpose stone, known for promoting good energies. In this case, it's going to help increase your innate awareness of those around you. Celandine is used to escape imprisonment and in this case, it will work superbly to keep you safe from anyone wishing to use you for your crown. Ivy is protective. And lastly, the dog rose.”</p>
<p>Pidge tilted her head as she looked at the pink flowers, so different from the roses she was familiar with. The center was yellow and the five petals surrounding it were almost heart-shaped.</p>
<p>“Roses are most often attributed to love,” Shiro continued in a softer voice. “But they are also attuned to friendship and have been used for protection. Dog roses are a wild variant. Curtis gave me a seedling as a gift when we first started seeing each other and I've kept it growing ever since. Of course, they are only tools meant to boost the magic. What really matters is the intent behind the spell.”</p>
<p>Shiro arranged everything on the table and then asked Pidge to step back. She couldn't see exactly what he was doing, but she could hear him speaking in a language unknown to her. A soft glow lit up that side of the room, sending out a pulse that rustled her hair and clothing. She could almost feel the energy tingling over her skin.</p>
<p>And then it faded.</p>
<p>When Shiro turned to face her, he held a delicate hairpiece in his hands. Pale purple crystal, so translucent it looked white in some places, formed the vines and leaves of ivy, looping in on itself to provide the base for the rest of the piece. A slightly darker purple jutted out to form the leaves of the celandine, and an unexpected yellow-orange crystal provided bright spots of color for the small flowers. The deepest purple was reserved for the leaves of the dog rose, the thorns tipped in red, and the flowers themselves reflecting their natural coloration of pink petals with a yellow center, all wrapped to one side.</p>
<p>Pidge accepted the hairpiece and found herself surprised by how light it was, despite everything that went into it. “Shiro, this is incredible.”</p>
<p>“Wear this on the night of the ball and you'll gain an awareness of what your suitors want from you. It will be subtle, so trust your instincts,” Shiro advised her.</p>
<p>A tingle of thrill ran through her. It was so much more than she expected. She'd known for most of her life that she was unlikely to truly have a choice in who to marry. The ball was an unexpected surprise; she was still angry about being forced to choose earlier than expected, but it <em>still</em> allowed her a choice, and that was more than she ever dared to ask. With Shiro's magical influence, she could rest more easily.</p>
<p>She cradled the hairpiece gently in her hands, silently vowing to wear it no matter what anyone else said. It could clash in the worst way with the gown they were preparing for her and she would still insist.</p>
<p>“I... I don't know what to say. Shiro, thank you so much!” Pidge said.</p>
<p>Shiro smiled softly and patted her on the shoulder before turning to clean up the few snapped leaves and other debris from the table. Once he finished cleaning, they went back out into the main room of the cottage, where Pidge put the hairpiece with the bottles of soap Shiro gave her the night before.</p>
<p>It was as they sat down at the table that Pidge realized someone was missing. “Did Keith go with Curtis into town?”</p>
<p>“Ah, no. He left last night once you went to bed,” Shiro replied. “I'm glad the two of you got along. He could use a friend.”</p>
<p>A flash of disappointment rushed through her, leaving her feeling hot in its wake. She barely knew Keith. She shouldn't be so bothered that he left without saying goodbye. “He was nice,” Pidge said.</p>
<p>“You two spent a long time outside after dinner.”</p>
<p>Pidge wanted to retort that they wouldn't have if not for the fact that Shiro had all but shoved them out the door and locked it behind them, but it seemed rude to bring it up when she had such a good time talking to Keith. “We were stargazing and telling stories. I thought I knew most of them because of all the stories dad used to tell, but Keith knew some that I've never heard before.”</p>
<p>And one that she knew was from their neighboring empire, Daibazaal. Her dad had picked up a few when he traveled there as a prince and had told them to her and Matt as bedtime stories. Few others would know them well enough to recite them, but for some reason Keith did.</p>
<p>She supposed it wasn't the weirdest thing.</p>
<p>Besides, it was really nice to hear new star-based legends, especially from someone who, despite his clear lack of ease with talking, was really good at telling them. It could have been the fondness in his voice. Maybe the way he smiled when she saved her questions for the end, rather than interrupting.</p>
<p>Pidge wished he'd been there when she woke up so they could talk some more, but she was sure he had his reasons for leaving. “How did you two meet, anyway?”</p>
<p>Shiro's response was just as vague as Keith's answer had been when she asked how long they'd known each other. “He needed my help, so I gave it.” He paused a moment to regard her seriously. “It's not really my story to tell, princess. You'll have to ask him if you want to know all of it.”</p>
<p>“How am I supposed to do that?” Pidge asked. She knew nothing about Keith except his name. There was no hint about where he lived or who his family was. Sure, he knew legends from Daibazaal, but all that really told her was that he likely knew someone who was from there.</p>
<p>“Fate made sure your paths crossed once already. I have little doubt that they'll cross again.” Shiro's answer wasn't much of one, bringing with it new questions and even more confusion.</p>
<p>Pidge didn't try to convince him to tell her more, recognizing when Shiro was determined to be cryptic on purpose. She crossed her arms over the table and changed the subject, which Shiro happily went along with.</p>
<p>For a while they talked about how nice the weather had been and her own luck that a cool breeze had blown in for her journey from the castle, preventing her from baking under the sun. Shiro's mentioned how his gardens were equally as appreciative of lack of blistering heat and then segued into the newest additions he raised from seedlings and rooted cuttings. He was in the middle of describing the young sandalwood he planned on making the star feature to a new section of the garden when the sound of horse hooves clopping down the path caught their attention.</p>
<p>“Curtis shouldn't be back already,” Shiro murmured as he stood and walked to the window. A glance out of the window confirmed that it wasn't his partner returning, but a small patrol of guards decked out in royal regalia. “It appears your escort has arrived. They're a little later than usual.”</p>
<p>Pidge tried not to groan. She had honestly hoped it would take them a little longer after she hid half of their tackle, but she must not have done as good of a job as she thought. Either that or they had to borrow someone else's.</p>
<p>She stood as well, knowing there was no use in trying to hide.</p>
<p>Shiro helped her gathered the jars of soap and her new hairpiece, which they carried outside to where Pidge's horse, Jasmine, was getting looked over by one of the guards, all of her tackle in place. Jasmine calmly bent her head down and yanked up a patch of grass, happily munching the tender greens.</p>
<p>“Princess,” breathed out the Head Guard, relief in her voice. She pulled off her helmet, revealing stark white hair, and rested it against her hip so she could take a better look at Pidge as though she needed the reassurance that she was alright. “You <em>know</em> it's dangerous to travel without one of us.”</p>
<p>“I was just visiting Shiro,” Pidge said, a little petulantly. She knew Allura was only looking out for her but was it really asking too much that she have a little time to herself? The roads were safe so long as she kept her head down and traveled without any symbols signifying her royal blood.</p>
<p>Allura rolled her eyes skyward the way she did whenever she needed to pray to the heavens for patience without vocally expressing it. “Just get on the horse. And we <em>will</em> talk about this during the ride back. You will ride by me. Ina will take the lead. Veronica and Nadia will follow behind.”</p>
<p>The three women nodded in acknowledgment of their orders.</p>
<p>Pidge made sure her gifts were carefully stowed away in her saddlebags before allowing Shiro to help her up onto Jasmine. She carefully gathered up the reins, refusing to look at Allura as she took her time getting settled. She glanced down at Shiro instead. “I know you don't like crowds, but will you attend the ball? I... I could use a friendly face.”</p>
<p>“I will see what I can do, princess,” Shiro said with a bow. He straightened up and nodded to Allura. “Take care on your journey back.”</p>
<p>Allura inclined her head and then slide her helmet back on before giving the order to move out.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>Boy</em>!”</p>
<p>Keith winced as his stepmother's voice cracked through the hall like a whip. Ever since he returned to the estate, all he'd heard was “Boy, do this!” or “Boy, do that!” as his stepmother worked herself up into a frenzy over something. He didn't think she knew about his late-night visiting Shiro, especially with the way he heard her snap at her <em>precious</em> Lotor once or twice, but he decided it was best to not risk another trip out to “gather herbs” in the forest.</p>
<p>He kept his head down and didn't speak unless he was directly asked a question, obediently following every order to the letter. Whenever she called for him, he set aside whatever he was working on and hurried to her side, bowing low and announcing his arrival if she wasn't facing him.</p>
<p>Honerva's golden eyes were sharp as they raked over his form and Keith felt as though she could see into his very mind, picking through his memories in search of some new weakness to use against him. He stood as still as he could, staring somewhere near the floor at her feet.</p>
<p>“My son has suggested that you be allowed to attend the royal ball in three days,” she said derisively.</p>
<p>Keith blinked in surprise, but otherwise showed no sign that he was affected by her words.</p>
<p>A royal ball? The only reason he could imagine Lotor wanting him to attend would be so he could watch Keith make a fool of himself. Either that or he liked the idea of having a servant all to himself. Was that even allowed? It didn't seem proper.</p>
<p>Honerva continued, her tone scathing and harsh. “He believes that since the decree stated that all eligible men in the kingdom are welcome to attend, they are including the serving class. It is utterly ridiculous. You are not fit to gaze upon the marbled halls of the palace, let alone be allowed within the presence of the royal family.” She paused for a moment. “However, I am loath to dismiss one of Lotor's requests. Should you continue to keep up with your chores and find suitable wear for the ball, you may attend with us.”</p>
<p>Keith could help but look up, knowing his shock was evident on his face. He opened his mouth to speak and quickly shut it before any word could escape, knowing that punishment would swiftly follow for speaking out of turn. He bowed instead.</p>
<p>“Go now,” Honerva said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I will have a chore list prepared for you.”</p>
<p>Another bow as he backed out of the room and hurried back to his cleaning.</p>
<p>His mind whirled with confusion as he tried to figure out what Lotor hoped to gain. What was the point? There was <em>always </em>a point when it came to the things Lotor did, especially when he tried to involve Keith. It was likely to be another cruel game where Lotor tried to get his hopes up, only to crush them beneath his heels in the harshest way he could muster.</p>
<p>Keith wouldn't fall for it again. He would complete his chores as quickly and efficiently as he could; to do any less would result in more punishment than simply not being allowed to attend the ball. But that was all he could do.</p>
<p>He tried to ignore that curious part of him that tried to wonder what it would be like if he <em>was</em> allowed to go, but he failed miserably at keeping his thoughts in line. What was the palace like? The princess was said to be a beautiful young lady and even Keith had heard the rumors that she would one day rule as queen, while her brother was set to marry Princess Romelle of Polluxea and rule the lands to the north as king. If they were calling for all eligible men to attend the ball, it was likely they were searching for a suitor for the princess.</p>
<p>A servant was hardly a suitable match.</p>
<p>Keith forced those thoughts from his head and set to work on his chores, focusing solely on scrubbing every last mark from the floors. He was nearly finished when a pair of shoes appeared in front of him and an elaborate cane jabbed at his chin, forcing Keith to look up.</p>
<p>Lotor stood there with a smirk on his face, his clothing as immaculate as ever, and his hair tied back in a tidy ponytail. “You should show a little more gratitude, little brother. Was it not kind of me to tell mother you should be allowed to attend the gala at the palace? Well, under certain conditions, of course. Nothing in life is free, after all.”</p>
<p>Keith breathed out through his nose and fixed his gaze on the silver buttons on Lotor's waistcoat. “Thank you, sir. I am grateful.”</p>
<p>“As you should be,” Lotor said, lowering his cane and striking it against the floor with a satisfying clicking sound. He stepped away and Keith half-hoped his stepbrother was leaving, but Lotor casually leaned against a nearby wall instead. “I am not such a cruel man that I would deny you the chance to find a new opportunity for work.”</p>
<p>Keith began to scrub the space where Lotor was just standing to cover up his confusion. A new opportunity for work? What was <em>that</em> about? As if his “family” would ever let him go.</p>
<p>“Ah, but you don't know, do you?” Lotor asked in a tone that was likely meant to convey condolence towards his poor, ignorant stepbrother. “In three days, I will be the one to win the hand of Princess Katherine. I am, after all, the obvious choice. Once we are wed, mother and I will move into the palace and we will have no further use for this... hovel.” He sneered in distaste.</p>
<p>Keith scrubbed a little harder.</p>
<p>Lotor tutted at the lack of reaction. “Of course, that leaves us with a tricky question, does it not? Whatever shall we do with <em>you</em>? Obviously, you are too much of an embarrassment to move to the palace with us, even as a servant. You are a blight on the family name. I <em>had</em> considered leaving you here, but it's hardly a property worthy of being owned by royalty, now is it? No. Mother and I have decided that the best thing we can do is tear it all down and offer it as farmland for the peasants to use. Perhaps you could find a job caring for their hogs? You <em>do</em> resemble them on most days.”</p>
<p>There was a dark spot that wouldn't go away no matter how long Keith worked on it. He wondered if anyone would notice if he gave up on it.</p>
<p>Lotor's chuckled darkly as he moved away from the wall. “I would take this opportunity that I have <em>graciously</em> given to you. It is your only chance.”</p>
<p>And with that, he struck out at Keith's bucket with his cane, tipping it over and spilling filthy suds across the floor and onto Keith. Lotor walked away without another word.</p>
<p>Keith did his best to clean up the water with what he had on hand. He tossed his rags onto the puddle, letting them soak up what they could before wringing them out over the bucket. It was a slow process, but if he left it alone to go retrieve something better suited for the task, he would undoubtedly get in trouble for leaving such a mess behind.</p>
<p>He thought about everything that Lotor said as he worked.</p>
<p>For so long, he held onto the thought that <em>maybe</em> they would leave behind him and the estate, allowing him to freely run it while they were away. It wouldn't be true freedom, but it would be better than the way he currently lived. But Lotor just ripped all of that away from him, the same way he planned on tearing down Keith's childhood home.</p>
<p>There had to be something he could do to save it. Maybe if he went to the ball, he would find someone interested in preserving the estate? Would there be such a person who would listen long enough to help him?</p>
<p>He thought of Pidge, who was so clearly of noble birth, and the way she listened with rapt attention to the stories he told that night under the stars. Would she listen again if she knew who he really was? Not even a peasant but a servant, trapped by his own family to work himself to the bone day in and day out.</p>
<p>It was worth the chance.</p>
<p>Keith breathed in, held it, and then slowly breathed out. He would do whatever he needed in order to attend the ball. Hopefully, Pidge would be there.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fun fact: This chapter was supposed to include the actual ball, but then Shiro wanted to play with magic and I needed to show what Keith's home life is like, so... Now the ball will be next chapter, and will include more bonding time with Pidge and Keith, because they didn't get a lot of that in the first chapter and I want them to spend more time together.</p>
<p>Sometimes I post little updates on tumblr, so if you're ever wondering what I'm getting up to or if you just want to chat, you can find me over there: https://calligraphist-artemisia.tumblr.com/</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Amaranthus caudatus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter ended up way longer than I thought it would, so I hope you all enjoy it! And please let me know what you think. I'm trying to write longer chapters, but I'm not sure if that's what everyone wants.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keith kept his head down, obediently completing his chores without questioning them, and struggled not to lose his temper with Lotor, who repeatedly baited him with callus remarks and sometimes by sabotaging the work he was doing. Keith focused on his goal whenever Lotor was around, reminding himself that he <em>had </em>to go to the ball if he wanted the chance to save the estate. He clung to the hope that he might even get to see Pidge again.</p>
<p>He swept and scrubbed the floors. Cleaned every window. Carefully cleaned the walls of every room and hall of the estate and then washed the outside as well. Went along with every request made by his stepmother or stepbrother. All of that on top of the chores he normally did: all of the cooking and laundry, caring for the animals they kept, and managing their small garden.</p>
<p>By the time the evening of the third day arrived, Keith was exhausted. Which, he supposed, was the whole point. Neither of them actually <em>wanted </em>him to attend the ball, it was just another form of torment they planned out to wear him down and break him. But he had done everything they asked and there was no <em>real</em> reason for them to say he could no longer go.</p>
<p>He absconded while he had the chance, scrubbing himself down with clean water and a bit of soap, paying special care to his hands in order to get the dirt out from beneath his fingernails. His hair was the last thing he washed.</p>
<p>Keith didn't waste any time and hurried to a room he rarely dared to enter.</p>
<p>By all accounts, it looked like an ordinary spare room - with neutral-colored bedding and curtains, simple and barren furnishings – but contained in a chest at the foot of the bed was a treasure he kept secret and hidden.</p>
<p>He stopped in front of the chest and took a deep breath before opening it to gaze on the dark colors of the fabric within. On the very top was a charcoal colored waistcoat with a fleur-de-lis patterned in a shade or two lighter than the rest of the fabric. Silver buttons adorned the front.</p>
<p>It was all simple yet elegant, just the way his father had always preferred.</p>
<p>“I wish you were here, dad,” Keith whispered, lifting the waistcoat out of the chest.</p>
<p>He didn't have time to reminisce, even though he longed to do so. Keith redressed quickly and while his dad's old clothes were a little too big on him, especially in the shoulders, he thought he looked passable enough to get away with it.</p>
<p>With one final glance at his reflection, Keith hurried from the room so he could catch up with Honerva and Lotor before they left without him. His brisk walk took him through the halls and down the staircase towards the entryway, where his stepfamily was waiting for the carriage that would take them to the palace.</p>
<p>Lotor turned to face him first, a sneer firmly in place as he looked Keith up and down. He looked resplendent in his deep blue suit, but what really stood out was the peacock-feather mask adorning his face.</p>
<p>Keith's heart sank as he took in the fact that his stepmother was also wearing a mask, though hers was made of all-white feathers to compliment her turquoise gown.</p>
<p>“Is that the best you have?” Lotor asked, sounding utterly scandalized. He rolled his eyes as though he had expected better from someone he spent his entire life tormenting, but there was a smirk slowly ruining that effect. “Very well. Put on your mask and let us be off.”</p>
<p>“I... I don't have one,” Keith was forced to admit. He lowered his gaze, reminding himself that while punching Lotor in the nose would be <em>extremely </em>satisfying, the punishment for such an act was hardly worth it.</p>
<p>“Pity,” Lotor said in a tone that conveyed how little he cared. “Mother, I believe our carriage has arrived. Shall we?” he asked, offering her his arm.</p>
<p>Honerva accepted it without as much as a glance in Keith's direction, fully intent on acting as though he didn't even exist. Together they gracefully glided out into the evening air, down the front steps, and into the magnificent carriage pulled by four black horses. Keith was left to stand there and watch as they rode away, wondering why he hadn't seen it all coming.</p>
<p>He clenched his hands into fists at his sides.</p>
<p>Enough was enough.</p>
<p>He had worked too hard, found ways to reign in his temper, and paid extra care not to step one toe out of line. None of it mattered to them. None of it <em>ever</em> mattered to them.</p>
<p>Keith was <em>going</em> to that ball, no matter what he had to do to get there.</p>
<p>He stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind him harder than he intended, his anger bubbling out of him without anyone around to see. He let it happen, too exhausted after struggling for so long to keep it contained and then channeled it into working for him. Keith used all of that rage as fuel to run as fast as he could into the forests, following a path known only to him.</p>
<p>Perhaps it was too much. His suit quickly became weighed down with sweat, every breath burning his throat and lungs as hot tears flowed down his cheeks. He pushed himself harder and by the time he stumbled up to Shiro's front door he had black spots dancing in front of his eyes.</p>
<p>Keith didn't remember much of what happened leading up to him sitting in a comfortable chair with a glass of water and Curtis calmly reminding him to take small sips. The door opened and he had almost fallen. Shiro caught him. And then he was sitting down. Had there been some talking? Shiro trying to get answers from him before calling Curtis for help?</p>
<p>“Water,” Curtis instructed, a little more firmly than before.</p>
<p>Keith took a sip. “Where'd Shiro go?”</p>
<p>“He took one look at you and muttered something about the gala at the palace,” Curtis said. “I imagine he's figuring out the best way to get you ready for it. That <em>is </em>why you're dressed this way, right?”</p>
<p>Keith glanced down. “I feel like such an idiot. I really thought they'd let me go...” He didn't look at Curtis, knowing there was a sympathetic expression waiting for him. He was well aware of the sort of people Keith's stepfamily were. Curtis could fill in the blanks on his own.</p>
<p>“Lotor is convinced that he's going to marry the princess,” Keith said. “He... when he doesn't need the estate anymore, he plans on tearing it all down. He told me. The ball is just another way of taunting me. He said I should be allowed to go so I could find a new family to serve because he wouldn't take me with him. That I'm a blight on the family name, unsuitable even to work in the palace.”</p>
<p>“That is absolute bullshit. You know that. Shiro and I know it. Anyone who spends more than five minutes with Lotor's pompous ass knows it,” Curtis said bluntly. “You are going to take a few more minutes to rest and drink some water and then we are going to get you ready. Well, Shiro is. I'm going to go hitch the horses to the wagon so you have transport to the palace.”</p>
<p>Keith sat under Curtis' watchful eyes for a few more minutes, sipping on his glass of water until it was empty. By then, Shiro returned from his trip into the garden and brought with him a basket full of what appeared to be drooping red feathers and odd silver-white discs on branches.</p>
<p>“Feeling better?” Shiro asked kindly.</p>
<p>Keith nodded, handing the glass to Curtis as he stood up. “Why do you have feathers?”</p>
<p>Shiro blinked in confusion as he looked down at the basket. “Oh,” he said with a soft laugh. “This is a type of flower known as pendant amaranth. I was thinking I would use it for the base of your mask.”</p>
<p>The fact that Shiro knew exactly what he needed didn't phase Keith at all. He'd always been strangely intuitive about that sort of thing and, honestly, anyone would be able to guess what Keith wanted to do based on the nice clothing he was wearing. It was kind of a relief that he wouldn't have to stop and explain what was happening.</p>
<p>Curtis left the cottage, murmuring that he would go and get the wagon and horses ready, and then it was just Shiro and Keith.</p>
<p>“Come this way,” Shiro said, holding out his hand.</p>
<p>Keith walked over to him and took the offered hand, letting Shiro lead him into the room with the cauldron where they made soap the last time he visited. They ignored the cauldron, instead going to a table in the back, where Shiro began to meticulously arrange the plants he chose and explain what he was using them for.</p>
<p>“Amaranth for invisibility, to keep you hidden from those who wish you harm,” he said, gesturing to the red flowers. “It will serve as the foundation for your mask, providing color and texture. Ivy is protective and will be used as the tie to keep it in place. And last...” Shiro picked up one of the stems with silver-white discs. “This is Lunaria annua, more commonly known as Honesty. I typically use it in spells dealing with money, but it also has the unusual ability to ward away monsters. I thought it was fitting for this situation.”</p>
<p>“Do you do this often? Cast spells for people?” Keith asked.</p>
<p>“Only when I have a good reason to. People around here are naturally wary of it, so I keep it as much to a minimum as I can. I will admit, I have been enjoying getting to cast some flashier spells lately,” Shiro said. He winked at Keith and then pushed up his sleeves. “I think you'll enjoy this too.”</p>
<p>Keith half-expected some sort of incantation or for Shiro to wave his hands around in complex patterns, but he got none of that. Instead, he watched as Shiro held his hands out over the plants and closed his eyes in concentration. A soft, golden glow lit up the table and Keith gasped as the plants began to move on their own, twisting together and reforming until there was no evidence they had ever been living plants.</p>
<p>A red mask sat in their place, intricately detailed with the many buds of the amaranth and each side twisting upward into a point. He could see tiny silver-white seeds from the Lunaria poking out from between some of the flowers, almost like tiny pearls or crystals. The band to keep it on his face retained the green of the ivy and the clasp in the back was one of the familiar five-pointed leaves.</p>
<p>“And now for your clothes.”</p>
<p>Keith took a step back, feeling a bit protective of one of the only things he had left of his dad. “There's nothing wrong with them.”</p>
<p>Shiro paused. “I promise, it won't be a permanent change. I'll cast a glamour instead and it will make it look different without harming your suit in any way. It won't last as long – only a few hours – but you'll still have plenty of time to enjoy yourself at the gala without your family recognizing you.”</p>
<p>It was the appeal of not being recognized by Lotor or Honerva that won Keith over. He nodded stiffly and let Shiro guide him towards the center of the room and then stood with his hands at his sides. His friend looked him up and down for a moment before nodding.</p>
<p>“Don't move,” Shiro advised.</p>
<p>Keith held as still as he could, a little nervous as Shiro backed up a few feet and then held his hands up, palms facing Keith. “No magic words?” he joked.</p>
<p>Shiro snorted in amusement. “What, like 'bibbity-bobbity-boo'? Magic only works like that in fairy tales. Now let me concentrate.”</p>
<p>It took Shiro a moment to begin and then the familiar golden glow lit up at Keith's feet, slowly traveling up his body. It tingled as it moved along; not an uncomfortable feeling, but strange. As it reached his hands, Keith realized it glittered and swirled around as it moved, flowing more like a liquid than any sort of light he'd ever seen. He closed his eyes as it began to slide up his neck and his hair spilled free of the loose braid he put it in earlier that evening.</p>
<p>His suit seemed to tighten around him, becoming more fitted in the shoulder and legs. Wherever the magic touched, dark fabric turned to pristine white, except for the waistcoat which shifting to a shade of brilliant red meant to match his mask. Only the silver buttons remained untouched.</p>
<p>He couldn't see his hair, but he could feel the way Shiro's magic pulled it back to the nape of his neck and encouraged it to curl more than usual.</p>
<p>“Perfect,” Shiro said, sounding pleased with himself. He picked up the mask on the table and helped Keith put it in before stepping back to admire the full effect of his work. “Now all that's left is your ride to the palace. I think I have just enough energy left to turn that wagon into an appropriate carriage.”</p>
<p>“You don't need-”</p>
<p>“Keith,” Shiro interrupted. “You can't turn up to the ball in a simple wooden wagon. Don't worry about me. A good night's rest and I'll be back to my full power by the morning. Now, we shouldn't waste what little time you have. The glamour will only last until midnight.”</p>
<p>Keith didn't have much choice but to follow Shiro as he hurried back through the house and out the front door. He was lead to the barn positioned on the east side of the cabin, where Curtis was waiting with their pair of horses hitched to the wagon he used to cart goods into town. Shiro didn't waste any time as he waved his hand towards the wagon.</p>
<p>It grew before Keith's eyes, the wood twisting and stretching to form beams that spiraled together and then curled over the top edge. Thin walls stretched between some of the beams but left the sides open for a better view. Another cast of a spell turned the walls to glimmering white and the beams to gold. The wheels smoothed out, the other rim turning white while the inner spokes changed to gold as well. Altogether it was far too flamboyant for Keith to feel comfortable with, but Shiro seemed pleased with the result.</p>
<p>With a final “just one more thing” from Shiro as he cast yet another spell to glamour Curtis' clothing into something befitting a regal coachman, which made the other man chuckle fondly.</p>
<p>“Now you're ready,” Shiro announced.</p>
<p>Was he really ready? He certainly looked the part of someone of noble blood, but Keith felt completely out of his element even as he let Curtis help him up into the carriage. He looked to Shiro for help, but all he received was a smile before the horses began to move.</p>
<p>Keith closed his eyes and tried everything he could think of to calm his racing heart and mind. He needed to have his wits about him if he was going to survive a ballroom full of nobles – his family among them. He hoped the mask would really work. Not that he doubted Shiro's magical ability, but Lotor always found some way to screw him over even when he thought things were going well.</p>
<p>Thinking about Lotor only made him feel more nervous, so instead he turned his thoughts to Pidge and what he would say to her if he saw her. He couldn't jump right into his problems; that would be rude and he didn't want her to think he only wanted to use her to help himself.</p>
<p>Just because he was on a time constraint didn't mean he had to use every single minute he had to his advantage. He could still slow down and talk to Pidge.</p>
<p>But what if she wasn't there? Shiro had seemed pretty sure that she would be, but his foresight wasn't perfect.</p>
<p>Keith wasn't sure what he'd do then. His original plan had been to find the friendliest-looking noble in the room and see what he could learn from them. He was likely to have better luck with someone who had several sons and was interested in finding an estate for one of them to manage, but learning any of that was going to be a challenge that required every ounce of charm that Keith possessed.</p>
<p>He took a deep breath.</p>
<p>He could do it. He would find some way to save his home.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Pidge danced with a smile plastered on her face, hoping that it wasn't too obvious to her partner just how hard she was faking her enjoyment. Her cheeks hurt from the effort, but she couldn't falter for even a moment without someone noticing.</p>
<p>Her partnered blathered on about his wealth and upbringing, giving her no chance to speak except to give some form of monosyllabic praise or agreement to whatever he was saying. She didn't need a magic hairpiece to know that the only thing he cared about was the wealth and power he could get out of a union with her.</p>
<p>It was all so dull.</p>
<p>The song came to an end and she separated from her partner before he could sweep her directly into the next dance as he did the last two times. She turned away from him, the full skirt of her pale lavender ballgown swaying with every movement. “I'm feeling a bit parched,” she lied, hoping he would take the hint.</p>
<p>The nobleman bowed, his silver hair tumbling over his shoulder from the movement. “I will be glad to fetch you a drink, princess. Please wait here.”</p>
<p>Pidge waited until he was well on his way to finding a member of the waitstaff who carried drinks and then she slipped deeper into the crowd. She reminded herself not to run. Running was unbecoming for a young lady. She could walk briskly, but nothing more than that.</p>
<p>She smiled politely at the others she passed by, aimless in her destination. She hoped she would find someone more interesting to dance with, but so far no one else seemed confident enough to approach a second time. They all moved out of the way as she made her way across the ballroom and while she was grateful to be given space to move, she wished one of them would step forward and save her from another dance with the boring nobleman who thought too highly of himself.</p>
<p>And then came the whispers.</p>
<p>A new and unfamiliar arrival.</p>
<p>Someone arriving a little too late to be considered fashionable.</p>
<p>Pidge perked up as she followed the whispers, though she barely needed to do anything as the crowd parted to let the newcomer through. “Oh,” she softly breathed out when she saw him.</p>
<p>She had hoped it might be Shiro venturing out of his comfort zone to treat Curtis to a night at the palace as well as save her from being subjected to the politics of nobility for an hour. Who had actually arrived was someone even better. Someone she hadn't expected.</p>
<p>Keith slowly walked through the hall, his slender frame accented by a nearly all-white suit. He looked nervous right up until he spotted her and the relief that spread across his face made Pidge want to walk even faster to reach him.</p>
<p>“Dance with me?” she requested once he was close enough. From the corner of her eye, Pidge could see the Boring Nobleman try to politely push his way through the crowd to get back to her side. She wasn't going to give him the chance.</p>
<p>Keith nodded, though he looked a little lost as to what he was meant to do.</p>
<p>Pidge smiled and whispered instructions as she moved them to a proper place on the dance floor. It took Keith a few tries to get it right, and Pidge was certain that everyone around them was well-aware that he wasn't one of them, but she didn't care.</p>
<p><em>Let them talk</em>, she thought viciously.</p>
<p>Keith was a fast learner and though he had a few slip-ups where he stepped with the wrong foot, it wasn't long before he felt comfortable enough to spin her around and then fall back into an easy waltz. And while he didn't talk much, due to concentrating on his footwork, he was still better company than anyone else she'd danced with that night.</p>
<p>“I'm really glad you're here,” she told him, keeping her voice low. She doubted anyone else could hear over the music and chatter, but it didn't hurt to be cautious. “I hope you don't mind if I keep your attention for the rest of the night. There's this one nobleman who won't leave me alone. I'm lucky I got away by suggesting that I could use a drink and I don't doubt that he's waiting for me to be on my own again.”</p>
<p>“I don't mind. Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about,” Keith said.</p>
<p>Pidge wasn't sure if it was his lingering nerves over being in the palace or if he was worried about whatever it was he wanted to talk about, but there was definitely something bothering him. Not only could she hear it in his voice, but the spark of magic from her hairpiece left her with the sense that all wasn't perfectly well.</p>
<p>“I'll be happy to listen,” Pidge said.</p>
<p>Keith seemed to relax the slightest bit. “It's not a good subject for dancing. I... I didn't want to bring it up so quickly. I just...”</p>
<p>“Then we can wait. All we need is a good distraction and then we can slip away from here,” Pidge said, mostly to herself. She glanced around the hall and took note of the closest exit. “There's an archway to your left. Start moving us closer to that.”</p>
<p>Keith nodded. “What kind of distraction are we waiting for?”</p>
<p>Pidge hummed in thought. “It could be anything, so long as it takes attention away from us.”</p>
<p>She knew there was one thing big enough to draw enough attention off of them, but she wasn't sure when it would happen. Eventually, her parents would stand and make an announcement, thanking everyone for attending the ball and inviting them to enjoy the banquet prepared for them. There would be a flurry of activity as the servants arrived with platters of food to arrange along the tables along one side of the room, and that was when they could move.</p>
<p>In the meantime, she was happy to dance with Keith.</p>
<p>“You look good, by the way,” she told him.</p>
<p>Keith's cheeks turned slightly pink. “It's all thanks to Shiro. I wouldn't be here if not for him.”</p>
<p>“He's a good friend,” Pidge responded. “He made this hairpiece for me.”</p>
<p>Keith's gaze flickered up to the elaborate twist her hair was done in, crowned by sparkling amethyst. “It suits you. The purple.”</p>
<p>It wasn't the best compliment she ever received, but it was sweet and made her blush nevertheless. She quietly thanked him. “I think my parents are just glad that it matched my gown. Lucky for me, Shiro always has a knack for knowing exactly what someone needs. It's a gift that I've sworn never to take advantage of.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, same for me,” Keith said, his voice soft. “I wish there was more I could do for him.”</p>
<p>“I've been thinking a lot about that too, but every time I think I have something that will work he finds a way to turn it down,” Pidge said with a sigh. She had tried a number of things, from outright leaving behind coin to pay for the soaps he made for her, to bringing unusual dishes of food or rare seeds for him to try out in the garden, but he always found a way to give back more than he received.</p>
<p>The music began to wind down and Pidge glanced towards the raised dais at the head of the ballroom, where her parents were beginning to rise from where they sat. She watched as her father stood first, offering his hand to her mother, who accepted it with a warm smile. Together, they addressed the crowd.</p>
<p>Pidge nudged Keith. “Now is our chance.”</p>
<p>Keith tore his gaze away from the king and queen with a quick nod. Following Pidge's lead, he hurried through the nearby archway and into an empty hallway. Both of them were able to breathe a little easier and Pidge gleefully picked up her skirts so she could break into a run, giggling as she called for Keith to keep up with her. The back hem still dragged the floor, the many layers of lavender-colored tulle too much for her to grab all at once.</p>
<p>“Where are we going?” Keith asked, sounding a little worried.</p>
<p>“To the gardens. We shouldn't be disturbed there, which means it's the perfect place to relax and talk,” Pidge responded. She glanced back, hoping her words had put him more at ease, but they didn't have quite the effect she was hoping for. “I promise that we won't get in trouble. If anyone does find us, it will be one of the guards and they all know who I am. The worst that happens is we get an escort back to the ballroom and a lecture on leaving too early.”</p>
<p>That additional information seemed to do the trick and by the time they entered into the private gardens, Keith was looking around without fear of getting in trouble. He stopped briefly to admire one of the rose bushes whose blooms were variegated red-and-white and then followed Pidge the rest of the way to a massive, five-tiered water fountain. A variety of patched koi fish flitted about in the base pool, hiding among the lily pads.</p>
<p>Pidge wished she could sit down on the fountain ledge, but the layers of her skirt and the stiff material of her corset made that impossible, so she settled for slipping off her shoes and kicking them to the side so she wouldn't trip over them. She smiled as Keith offered her his arm and they slowly strolled around the fountain.</p>
<p>“So, what did you want to ask me about?” she asked.</p>
<p>Keith haltingly told her about his family, leaving out any details that would actually let her know who they were, and how their whole plan was for his stepbrother to marry the princess. He spoke of the manor where he grew up and a threat to tear the whole thing down, leaving Keith with no place to go.</p>
<p>“Keith, I'm so sorry,” Pidge said, slowing to a stop in front of him and gently touching his arm with her free one. “How can I help?”</p>
<p>“Would you be able to warn the princess?”</p>
<p>Pidge blinked up at him, the question taking her fully off-guard.</p>
<p>He didn't know who she was.</p>
<p>Pidge would have laughed but she didn't want to come across as rude. And what if learning who she was made Keith not want to stay and talk with her? What if it made him more nervous? He was one of the few people who liked her for her and not because she was a princess and the future queen of their kingdom. She didn't want that to change.</p>
<p>She would have to tell him later, but it wasn't the right time.</p>
<p>“I should be able to get a warning to her, but you should know that Princess Katie has very good judgment. She'll know if someone isn't being honest with her,” Pidge said.</p>
<p>“Not with Lotor,” Keith said with a shake of his head. “He has this way of charming everyone he comes across. He always knows the exact right thing to say to manipulate you into doing what he wants. Please, Pidge. If you can get a warning to her, please do it.”</p>
<p>“I will,” Pidge swiftly promised.</p>
<p>Keith relaxed. “Thank you. I know it won't stop him forever, but it at least gives me more time to come up with a better plan.”</p>
<p>It gave Pidge more time to plan soon. She silently vowed to find a way to help her new friend escape from his horrible relatives while also retaining his father's home. It was clearly something important to him.</p>
<p>She moved back to his side, inviting him to walk with her once again. They made a few laps around the fountain, talking about whatever came to mind. For a while, they discussed what they could do to show their appreciation to Shiro for all of the things he'd done for them. Keith spoke a little more of his father, revealing that he passed away ten years ago shortly after remarrying. In return, Pidge told him about her brother and how he was away in the kingdom to the north of theirs, learning all that he could about his betrothed and the land she hailed from.</p>
<p>Hours passed and no one came to find them.</p>
<p>Pidge chose to count it as a small miracle and didn't question why.</p>
<p>Another pass by the fountain gave her an idea, though she didn't know how well she would be able to keep her balance in her gown. She grinned up at Keith as she pulled away from him, once again lifted her skirt as she darted towards her destination, carefully lifting one foot to step up on the ledge. She heard Keith swear under his breath and then he was once again beside her, leaping up onto the ledge to help her up.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” she said, offering a playful curtsy.</p>
<p>The stone beneath her feet was damp and she knew there were tiny droplets of water splashing up onto her gown, but Pidge didn't care. “I've always loved it here. Matt and I... we used to play around this fountain when we were young. For a while, they couldn't keep koi fish because we teased them too much.”</p>
<p>“You grew up here?” Keith asked, sounding confused.</p>
<p>Pidge lowered her head, quickly backpedaling in panic. “We spent a lot of time here. My parents are... very important. They didn't like to leave Matt and I alone so we came along with them.” When she glanced up at Keith, he had the expression of someone who had realized something important.</p>
<p>“That's why you're able to talk to the princess and give her my warning.”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>Why had she lied? Why was she <em>still</em> lying? She should just tell him before she dug too deep of a hole to escape. Keith would understand why she did it – he had too – but she needed to explain it all before he found out on his own.</p>
<p>“Keith, I--” She shrieked as something strange and ticklish began to crawl up her bare heel, instinctively trying to escape from it. The narrow ledge didn't give her much space to move, however, and she quickly lost balance and toppled into the water.</p>
<p>One moment she was standing and the next she was laying on Keith's chest while he groaned, reaching up to the back of his head where he collided with one of the tiers of the fountain. His mask dropped away and landed with a soft splash.</p>
<p>“Keith! I'm so sorry!” Pidge quickly apologized, pushing herself off of him so he could sit up. “Are you alright? Do I need to get a doctor?”</p>
<p>“I think I'm okay,” Keith said as he lowered his hand to check for blood. “Just a slight bump. I think the charms Shiro put on the mask helped. What about you?”</p>
<p>Pidge took a moment to check for injuries of her own and then shook her head. “I'm soaked but unharmed.”</p>
<p>A fish chose that moment to bump into her and Pidge couldn't stop herself from giggling at the situation they landed themselves in. She met Keith's eyes and was pleased to see he was equally as amused.</p>
<p>“<em>Princess!”</em></p>
<p>The shout cut through the air and Pidge flinched, her mirth flickering out as quickly as candlelight being snuffed out. She guiltily looked away from Keith, unable to bring herself to see the shock and betrayal that he was undoubtedly feeling. She turned her head as Allura approached, immediately recognizing the snow-white hair of her Head Guard.</p>
<p>“Princess Katie, you have been missing from <em>your own gala</em> for three hours,” Allura said sternly. She sighed as Pidge tried to stand up in the water, but struggled under the weight of her wet gown. Blue eyes flickered almost dismissively over Keith, who managed to stand more easily and then hesitantly offered a hand to help up Pidge.</p>
<p>The pair climbed out of the fountain and stood in front of Allura, who tutted at the state of them both.</p>
<p>A sudden gong ringing out through the palace grounds made them all jump in surprise, though Allura swiftly recovered.</p>
<p>“Princess, I understand wanting time to yourself, but you really must get back inside. We should have just enough time for you to change before you have to make your final appearance. I will escort you,” Allura said, her tone leaving no room for argument.</p>
<p>Pidge passively nodded and accepted the hand her guard held out. “Sorry, Allura.”</p>
<p>As Allura led her back into the palace, she glanced back one final time to see Keith, but he was already gone.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Dianthus caryophyllus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And now for the fourth and final chapter, a 10,645 word behemoth that I couldn't stop adding things to. I hope you all have enjoyed this little fic! And please check the end notes to see what my plans are for my next fic.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keith sat next to Curtis in the wooden cart, his father's clothing still damp and sticking uncomfortably to his skin. The horses pulling the cart plodded happily down the well-traveled path, completely unbothered by the darkness of the forest around them.</p>
<p>“You can stop here,” Keith said.</p>
<p>Curtis urged the horses to slow with a gentle tug of the reigns. “Are you sure? I'm sure Shiro is asleep, but you can still come over and get cleaned up before you go home.”</p>
<p>Keith shook his head. “I'll be okay. It's a shorter walk from here.”</p>
<p>“If you're sure...”</p>
<p>Another tug of the reigns brought the horses to a complete stop, allowing Keith to hop out of the wagon and back onto solid ground. He didn't immediately begin walking and instead remained where he landed as he gathered his thoughts enough to ask a single question: “Did you know about Pidge?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Curtis said. “She came to us and called herself Pidge the first time she visited, but once Shiro was able to save her brother, Prince Matt, she admitted who she really was. When she kept up her trips to see us, we thought it best for her safety if we continued to use her nickname. None of us ever meant to lie to you, Keith. It was all to keep her safe.”</p>
<p>That much Keith could understand. However, he and Pidge spent <em>hours</em> talking at the ball and some of that time had been about the princess herself! Why hadn't she said anything?</p>
<p>Keith needed time to calm down and think.</p>
<p>“Thanks for the ride, Curtis. I...” Keith stopped and shook his head. “Tell Shiro I'll be by when I get a chance?”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Curtis agreed easily.</p>
<p>Keith bid him goodnight and then set off for home, trying to sort out his tangled mess of feelings. He needed to approach it logically, however difficult the sting of betrayal made that. (Was it really betrayal? Maybe that was too strong of a word.) He had known Pidge was of noble birth. That much had been clear from the start, so why was the news of her being the <em>princess</em> so difficult for him to accept?</p>
<p>He had spent the night dancing with Princess Katie.</p>
<p>Princess Katie, who Lotor was determined to make his bride.</p>
<p>Keith wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry at the bizarre situation he found himself in. At least he knew there was no way Pidge would ever marry his stepbrother, even if he hadn't given her a warning. She was far too smart to fall for Lotor's lies.</p>
<p>For the time, his home was safe. Keith could breathe easily at that.</p>
<p>He focused on that little fact for the rest of his walk home. When he finally got back to the dark manor, he set to work on arranging things so Lotor and Honerva would never know he'd been away. He lit the lanterns at the front door and then hurried inside to turn on a few of the other lights in the entryway and up the staircase to the family suite.</p>
<p>With that done, Keith could focus on himself. He hurried to his own room, which was a converted pantry next to the kitchen, and stripped out of his wet clothing to put on his threadbare sleeping clothes. He hung up his father's suit to dry and then reached back to remove the mask, but his fingers encountered nothing.</p>
<p>There was a rush of hot fear as he realized it had come loose when he and Pidge fell in the fountain. He could only hope no one had seen him as he fled the gardens. Without the mask, he had no protection. His identity was bare for everyone to see.</p>
<p>Keith took a deep breath. He had to believe that everything was alright. There was no one else in the gardens who could have seen him, aside from Pidge's white-haired guard, and he doubted the woman cared enough to look into who he was.</p>
<p>Everything would be fine.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Pidge laid in her bed, holding a red mask up in front of her face as she examined every little detail about it. What she initially thought were feathers, was actually tiny red flower buds groups together to form feather-like bundles. Tiny glittery spheres poked out between some of them.</p>
<p>If she hadn't known about Shiro's magic, she would have spent hours trying to figure out how it was made and where it came from.</p>
<p>She sighed as she sat up. Ever since her escapade in the garden, she'd been under stricter watch than normal, with two guards posted outside her bedroom door and another pair beneath her window. No matter where she went there was always someone watching her. Pidge was quickly reaching her breaking point and had several ideas of how she could get away for at least a little while, though she would have to wait a few more days before attempting that again.</p>
<p>It wouldn't be too difficult as long as she chose the right moment.</p>
<p>A knock of the door drew Pidge out of her musings and she quickly hid the mask beneath her pillow before calling out: “come in!”</p>
<p>Allura stepped inside her room, dressed in her more casual uniform and with her hair pulled back into a thick ponytail. She bowed to her princess before saying anything. “Your parents requested to see you. I believe it's about your behavior at the ball.”</p>
<p>Pidge did her best not to groan as she slowly slid out of bed. She smoothed out her dress to try and rid it of any obvious wrinkling and then double checked her hair in the mirror. Once she deemed herself presentable enough she followed Allura out of the room, the posted guards easily falling into step behind them as they walked through the halls.</p>
<p>The night of the ball, Pidge had taken the time to explain to her parents everything that happened. How she'd already known Keith thanks to her visits with Shiro and how he caught her when she fell, which was how they ended up in the fountain. While they were sympathetic, they also agreed that, above all else, no one else could find out that she was alone with a man for several hours, nor that they ended up in the fountain together.</p>
<p>It would cause a scandal.</p>
<p>Luckily, the only other person who knew about what happened was Allura, whose loyalty to the royal family was unparalleled.</p>
<p>It was for that reason that Pidge wasn't anxious about her parents wanting to speak with her. They likely wanted to ask for her opinion about her possible suitors now that everything was calming down so they could move forward with whatever plans they'd been making behind closed doors.</p>
<p>The great double-doors were opened as she approached and she nodded to the guards on either side as she strode into the throne room. Allura remained near the doors as they closed, keeping a respectful distance from the royal family while Pidge walked over to her parents – King Sam and Queen Colleen - and warmly greeted each of them with a hug.</p>
<p>“We have news, Katie,” King Sam said cheerfully. “Matt will be returning home in three days to give Princess Romelle a tour of our kingdom.”</p>
<p>Pidge found herself beaming back at her father. “That's great! I'm glad his courtship is going well.”</p>
<p>“Speaking of courtship, we have received news from the eligible nobles regarding your own. It seems news of your... <em>dalliance</em> has reached ears outside of the castle,” said Queen Colleen.</p>
<p>Pidge was about to open her mouth to defend herself and Keith, but the weight of her mother's words quickly sank in. In a single swoop, her good mood evaporated, leaving her feeling light-headed from shock. “But how?”</p>
<p>“We are looking into it,” King Sam said. “The thing is, it leaves us in a delicate position. None of them seem willing to overlook the fact that you were alone with an unknown man for several hours. We can hope that if we give it a few days the rumors will begin to die down, but we cannot rely on that.”</p>
<p>“Keith and I didn't do anything wrong!” Pidge protested. “We just talked. That's it.”</p>
<p>Queen Colleen's gaze softened. “We know, darling, but you have to look at this from an outside perspective. It's why we have increased your guard. You <em>must </em>tread carefully if we are going to navigate this to our advantage.”</p>
<p>In other words, Pidge would be watched day and night and would have to make a number of public appearances to restore her good name. Every one of her actions would have to be carefully considered. There would be no sneaking off to visit Shiro. And there was absolutely no way she would be able to get away and speak with Keith, to explain why she kept her identity a secret and apologize to him for not telling him sooner.</p>
<p>That was the worst part.</p>
<p>She genuinely enjoyed Keith's company. He was the first friend she made who had nothing to do with her duties as princess, even when considering Shiro and Curtis, who she met when searching for a way to help save her brother. She wanted the chance to get to know him better. To spend more time with him. She wanted to help him find a way to save his father's home and, if at all possible, to get out from under the thumb of his stepfamily.</p>
<p>Maybe she could still do that.</p>
<p>She was likely to spend a lot of time alone in her room with guards posted at every conceivable exit, so she may as well make good use of her time.</p>
<p>Pidge tilted up her chin. “I'll do whatever I need to do,” she promised her parents.</p>
<p>Pleased with her answer, they turned the subject to how they would welcome Matt back and ensure that his bride-to-be was also made to feel at home. Even as she helped plan a simple dinner, Pidge's thoughts strayed to how she might be able to help Keith, and when she was able to get back to her room she immediately sat at her desk and began writing.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Despite his resolve that no one other than the guard had seen them in the garden that night, Keith couldn't help but feel a bit anxious over the next few days. Neither Lotor nor Honerva were acting any different and his chores went on the same as always, but there was something about the way Honerva looked at him sometimes that sent a shiver running down his spine. It wasn't her usual looks of complete disdain. No, it was something more calculating, as though he were a particularly difficult riddle she was trying to figure out.</p>
<p>Keith did his best to stay out of her way and complete his chores in a timely manner and without asking questions.</p>
<p>It seemed to work.</p>
<p>The looks stopped as Honerva turned her full focus back to her precious son and her schemes to get him into the good graces of the royal family. Keith continued to stay out of her way just in case she changed her mind, as she often did, and had several days of peace as he easily completed his tasks with minimal interference from Lotor, who only went out of his way once to dirty up a section of floor that he had just cleaned.</p>
<p>But Keith knew from experience that peace never lasted in their house. Sooner or later, the shoe would drop and he would take the blame for whatever great catastrophe they dreamed up.</p>
<p>It came as he was serving dinner one night.</p>
<p>Keith was normally good at tuning out their conversation, his years of practice at not reacting to their insults lending to that ability. But then he heard Lotor speak of the princess and those walls he built crumbled around him.</p>
<p>“I think it is time to move on with our plans for the princess, mother,” Lotor said. “We have left her wallowing for nearly a week now and none have dared to reach out with offers after those awful rumors. Now is the perfect time to strike.”</p>
<p>Honerva nodded. “Agreed. I will send a missive first thing in the morning. It won't be long before your courtship will be made official.” She smirked at her son. “Those other nobles will regret listening to the chatter of rumors. As though the princess would ever do something so uncouth as to be unchaperoned with a strange man.”</p>
<p>Keith's heartbeat sounded thunderous to his ears and he carefully turned away from his stepfamily to hide his face. He slowly moved towards the kitchens, an excuse of fetching more wine poised on the tip of his tongue in case either of them questioned his actions. He didn't need to use it and got away without either of them noticing.</p>
<p>He gripped the counter to keep himself upright and squeezed his eyes tightly shut, trying to get a hold of himself as it fully sank in just how badly he'd messed things up.</p>
<p>Pidge's reputation was in tatters because of him.</p>
<p>Because of him, Lotor may end up being her only option for marriage.</p>
<p>There had to be something he could do. There had to be some way he could fix things, but it was something that was so out of his depth that he knew he would need help to find a solution, and for that there was only one person he knew to turn to.</p>
<p>Shiro was sure to have an idea.</p>
<p>Keith breathed in deeply and then slowly breathed out.</p>
<p>He would get through the rest of the night without alerting his stepfamily to anything being wrong or out of the ordinary and once they were both asleep in their beds he would sneak out and go to Shiro. With luck, he would be back by morning, even if it meant he didn't get any sleep.</p>
<p>His racing heart calmed back to a normal pace and Keith turned his attention to refilling the wine pitcher before carrying it back to the table.</p>
<p>The rest of his night went as usual, with him being ignored unless Lotor or Honerva wanted something, and he wrapped up the last of his cleaning just in time for Honerva to sweep through and judge his work with her usual criticism and scorn. He took her words without flinching and then bid her goodnight, making sure to go about preparing for sleep like normal just in case she suspected something.</p>
<p>It wasn't until midnight that Keith dared to get out of his “bed” - a pile of old blankets arranged in front of the kitchen hearth – and redress into something more appropriate for traversing the woods in the dark. He didn't dare leave from the front door, knowing it would cause too much noise as he shut it, and so headed for the side door from the kitchen, which would take him through their nearly barren garden and past the stables.</p>
<p>Keith glanced around and grabbed his basket at the last minute, hoping the old excuse of getting up early to gather herbs from the forest would work as well as usual.</p>
<p>And then he opened the door and stepped outside.</p>
<p>Something grabbed at him from the darkness, slamming him back against the wall hard enough that the back of his head collided with the wall and spots danced in front of his eyes. The basket slid from hand and bounced softly against the ground. Keith gasped and blindly swung out, trying to free himself, but was pinned so hard that there was no moving unless his assailant allowed it.</p>
<p>“You have been a thorn in my spine for too long, <em>boy</em>.”</p>
<p>The familiar hiss of his stepmother's voice drained every last ounce of fight from Keith as a cold chill settled over him. He did nothing as she yanked and shoved him back into the house, surprisingly strong for a woman of her upbringing.</p>
<p>“Did you think I would not find out? That I have no allies in court who would tell me of what they saw?” she demanded. “Did you really think for a moment that a lowly peasant could get away with speaking with the princess without repercussion? And to be <em>alone with her!</em>”</p>
<p>Another shove sent Keith sprawling to the floor, catching himself hard on his hands and knees.</p>
<p>“You nearly ruined everything for Lotor.”</p>
<p>Keith grit his teeth, anger bubbling up through the feeling of helplessness that was swiftly consuming him. He knew he wouldn't be getting away to see Shiro. There was a small part of him that feared he would never be permitted to see the light of day again. Who would even care about a dead servant?</p>
<p>“Princess Katie will never marry him,” he spat.</p>
<p>Dead silence met his words.</p>
<p>Honerva hauled him up with her inhuman strength and dragged him to the cellar door, which was propped open and waiting. Keith struggled in her grasp, doing his best to break away and try and reach the door, but none of his attempts worked.</p>
<p>“Be thankful I'm letting you live.”</p>
<p>With one final shove, Keith tumbled down the cellar steps and landed on cold, hard concrete. Before he could get to his feet, the door swung shut above him and a grinding sound told him that a board was being slid into place to prevent him from opening it.</p>
<p>He was well and truly trapped.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Things were not going as Pidge had planned.</p>
<p>Matt was home and brought with him his lovely bride-to-be, which was wonderful, but on the same day that he returned they received a request of courtship from one of Pidge's approved suitors, which had only the King and Queen pleased.</p>
<p>“He's <em>terrible</em>, mother,” Pidge protested the moment she heard the name. “He doesn't care about me or the kingdom, all he wants is the power that comes with it all.”</p>
<p>“You don't know that for sure, Katie. You will give this young man a chance and I will not hear another word about it,” said Queen Colleen.</p>
<p>Pidge didn't argue. She knew they hoped that news of one suitor offering courtship would pave the way for others to speak up again, but she hated the thought of being forced to spend time with Lotor when she already knew she couldn't trust him.</p>
<p>Knowing she wouldn't get anywhere with her parents, she complained to Matt during one of their strolls through the garden instead.</p>
<p>He listened without making a remark, waiting until she was finished detailing the night of the ball when all Lotor wanted to do was showcase his many talents, and then said: “He does sound pretty awful, but are you sure you're not projecting your dislike of the situation onto him?”</p>
<p>Pidge glared at him. “I am <em>not</em>.”</p>
<p>“Take it easy, Pidge, I believe you,” Matt said, lifting his hands in defense. “I know it's overwhelming. Suddenly, there's a lot of pressure on you now to find a suitable match and it wasn't there before. Now it's no longer about finding someone whose company you enjoy, but someone who can rule an entire country by your side and there's so much more to consider and think over.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, and whose fault is that?” Pidge muttered bitterly, the words slipping out before she could stop them. She looked guiltily at her brother. “I didn't mean – I really like Romelle, Matt. I'm glad you're marrying her. I just can't help but wish you were still inheriting the crown instead of going off to another kingdom to rule there.”</p>
<p>“That would make things easier. Then maybe you'd be able to marry this mysterious guy I've been hearing so much about instead of Baron I-am-so-much-more-important-than-everyone-else,” Matt joked.</p>
<p>“Keith's my friend,” Pidge corrected automatically.</p>
<p>Matt hummed, the teasing grin not fading from his face. “So, when do I get to meet him?”</p>
<p>“I... I don't know if you'll be able to,” Pidge said, slumping her shoulders at the reminder. “I met him when I went to visit Shiro. All I really know is his name and...”</p>
<p>She trailed off as she stopped walking, realizing she knew a good deal more than that after their talk in the garden. Something she'd been ignoring. While he'd been careful not to mention any names when he explained that his stepmother was determined to have her son marry Princess Katie, he did slip up later when asking her to give a warning.</p>
<p>“Pidge?” Matt asked, waving a hand in front of her face. “Katie?”</p>
<p>“Lotor is his brother.”</p>
<p>Matt raised an eyebrow. “Are we still talking about your friend?”</p>
<p>“Keith and Lotor are stepbrothers. I can't believe I didn't put it together until now! I feel so stupid!” She turned to face Matt, a determined glint in her eyes. “I need you to help me. We need to go see Shiro.”</p>
<p>“Aren't you grounded?”</p>
<p>“Then I'll go by myself.”</p>
<p>Matt reached out and grabbed her shoulders as she turned to walk away, making her face him once again. “You have to calm down and think this through rationally. Why do you need to go see Shiro?”</p>
<p>“Because he can help,” Pidge said, purposefully keeping her answer vague. She honestly wasn't sure <em>how</em> Shiro would be able to help, but going to talk to him first felt like the right thing to do.</p>
<p>“I feel like I'm still missing part of the puzzle here. Why do you need help? Is your friend in danger? And how do you know he's in danger if you haven't seen him since the night of the ball?” Matt asked.</p>
<p>All good questions.</p>
<p>Pidge took a deep breath and tried to organize her thoughts in a rational manner so she could better explain why she needed to leave the palace. She led Matt over to the fountain so they would have a place to sit and then she began to explain everything she knew, starting with the fact that Keith came to the palace just to see her that night without having any idea that she was the princess.</p>
<p>As before, Matt listened to what she had to say without complaint, taking in all of the details she was willing to give.</p>
<p>“Okay,” he said when she was finished. “I'll help you get to Shiro, <em>but</em> you have to be patient. Give me a few days to figure something out.” He paused for a moment when Pidge let out an agonized groan. “I'm sure you can handle dealing with Lotor until then.”</p>
<p>Pidge nodded, privately thinking that the sooner she could get to Shiro and ask for his advice, the better.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Pidge's jaw ached from plastering a fake smile on her face after one full afternoon in Lotor's company. She hoped Matt had a good plan for getting her out of the castle, because there was no way she was putting up with another round of the young Baron boasting about his studies and wealth. She only wished her parents saw through his ruse, but unfortunately he had them both charmed.</p>
<p>She was giving Matt one more night to figure things out and then she was going out on her own. Somehow.</p>
<p>Luckily for her, it didn't come down to that. Just as the sun began to dip over the horizon there was a knock on her bedroom door and Pidge answered to find Matt standing there with a solid black cloak in his arms.</p>
<p>“Wear this,” he instructed, handing it to her. “And move quickly. I bought you a little time before the guards come back.”</p>
<p>Pidge giddily pulled on the cloak and tugged up the weighted hood, letting it obscure her features as she and Matt tiptoed through the halls and outside into the humid summer air. Matt led the way to ensure she wouldn't be spotted, but they encountered no problems and were soon safely inside the stables.</p>
<p>“Romelle will cover for us, but we need to be back by the morning,” Matt said as he headed towards his horse, which was already saddled up and waiting for him.</p>
<p>Pidge found her horse there as well and took a moment to soothe the fidgety mare before stepping up and swinging herself into the saddle. She looked to Matt for further instruction, unsure whether or not they were waiting for a signal or if they needed to leave immediately.</p>
<p>“We should go. The others are waiting for us,” he told her, nudging his horse into a walk.</p>
<p>“Others?” Pidge asked.</p>
<p>“You didn't think we'd be going alone, did you?” Matt asked, flashing her a charming smile.</p>
<p>The others turned out to be their personal guards – Allura and Lance, who were astride their own horses and waiting near the gate. Allura had a frown on her face and was pointedly looking away from Lance, who was grinning broadly as though he'd won an argument for once.</p>
<p>Pidge rode over next to Allura, knowing her guard would feel more at ease if she was close. “I'm surprised you agreed to this.”</p>
<p>“I couldn't leave you with only <em>that one</em> as your guard,” Allura said, nodding her head toward the brunet.</p>
<p>Pidge bit her lip to keep from laughing. Allura may complain about Lance quite often, but the pair of them actually got along well. That was, when Lance wasn't flirting with her and every other young woman in the vicinity. “Well, I'm glad you're going with us.”</p>
<p>The four of them set off at an easy trot and kept quiet until they were safely within the borders of the forest, where they were able to speak freely.</p>
<p>“So, how did you enjoy Polluxea, Lance?” Pidge asked.</p>
<p>Lance eagerly launched into a description of the lush gardens and farmland of their northern neighbor and the friendliness of those who lived there. He made a few references to some of the lovely women he met there, but cut it short each time Allura rolled her eyes or made a sound of disinterest.</p>
<p>Matt and Pidge exchanged amused glances each time it happened.</p>
<p>“...prefer being home. I missed this place more than I thought I would,” Lance said with a short laugh.</p>
<p>“What are you going to do when you go back?” Pidge asked.</p>
<p>“I'm not going back,” Lance replied. “I went to help choose a Polluxean guard to watch after Matt and he'll be taking over for me. His name's Tavo and he seems pretty cool, so I'm permanently home now.”</p>
<p>“Mother and father want Lance to be the personal guard for whichever suitor you choose,” Matt added.</p>
<p>Pidge considered Lance for a moment. “Maybe I should introduce you to Lotor and let you scare him off.”</p>
<p>“Is that supposed to be an insult?”</p>
<p>Pidge winked at him and spurred her horse on, racing ahead of the others with a joyous <em>whoop!</em></p>
<p>It wasn't long before the other three were galloping alongside of her, following the winding path that led to Shiro's cabin. They arrived in good time and Pidge was relieved to spot light through one of the windows. At least they wouldn't be waking them.</p>
<p>“The barn is over to that side of the house. You can put the horses there and then join us inside,” Matt said as he swung down from his horse. He handed the reigns over to Lance and then turned to watch Pidge do the same with Allura.</p>
<p>Pidge led the way to the door, but before she could knock it opened to reveal Shiro waiting for them on the other side. He let them in and told them to get comfortable while he fetched the snacks Curtis made earlier that evening.</p>
<p>“It's rare to get such a late-night visit,” he remarked as he returned with a tray of small sandwiches.</p>
<p>“I couldn't get away any other time,” Pidge said. And then, unable to wait any longer, asked: “Shiro, have you heard from Keith since the ball?”</p>
<p>He blinked in surprise at the abrupt question, but recovered quickly enough. “I haven't. Why? Is there something wrong?”</p>
<p>Pidge shook her head. “No, not-”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Matt cut in.</p>
<p>Pidge whipped her head around to stare at her brother, her lips parting in surprise. What was he talking about? Nothing was really <em>wrong</em>, per-say, she just wanted to talk to Keith and clear some things up. She wanted to apologize. And then she wanted to ask if he and Lotor were truly stepbrothers and if he had any advice for how to prove what a snake he was.</p>
<p>So why was Matt saying there was something wrong?</p>
<p>“I grew up learning about all of the nobility of our kingdom. Five years ago, father had me study each of them in-depth so that I would have talking points when meeting any of them. I'm sure you'll be learning this all soon, Pidge,” he said, nodding to her. “The thing is, I remember reading about this one estate. A small one, with a garden large enough for the household and for selling any excess to the townsfolk. It worked well for them, but that wasn't the most interesting thing.”</p>
<p>He paused as Curtis entered the room from a side door with Lance and Allura, who were offered seats and joined them. Lance happily accepted a sandwich as the tray was held out to him.</p>
<p>“Baron Travis Hawkins married a woman of unknown status from Daibazaal. She was his first wife and they had one child together. A son.”</p>
<p>Daibazaal was a neighboring empire to the west of their kingdom. Twenty-five years ago, it had been in the middle of upheaval as a rebellion overthrew the then-emperor and instated a sovereign of their own choosing. Emperor Kolivan brought them into an age of tranquility as they reached out and made peace with their neighbors and began to let go of their path to conquering the entire continent.</p>
<p>“She passed away a few years after giving birth to their son and five years after that, Baron Hawkins remarried, only to pass away nearly a year later. His widow is Baroness Honerva Hawkins, who had a son from her previous marriage.”</p>
<p>“Lotor,” Pidge breathed out. “But then... then that means...”</p>
<p>“Keith was meant to inherit his father's position as Baron once he turned eighteen, but obviously that hasn't happened,” Matt said with a frown. “Instead, the title is set to be handed over to Lotor, but since it's being done against the wishes of the previous Baron Hawkins, it's not entirely legal. Keith has until his twentieth birthday to contest it before a court of his peers.”</p>
<p>“But why didn't you say anything before now? We could have done something!” Pidge cried out.</p>
<p>“Like what?” Matt asked. “Pidge, we don't have any proof that they're doing something wrong. For all anyone else knows, Keith turned down his title and <em>wants</em> it to go to Lotor instead. The only people who have talked to him are you and Shiro and that isn't enough. I waited because we need to come up with a plan and the people in this room are the only ones I trust to help. The first thing we need to determine is how much danger Keith is in. Shiro?”</p>
<p>Shiro took a moment to mull the question over. “I've been treating his injuries since the first time that we met, but even I would have a hard time saying how far they would be willing to take their abuse. The only reason he would be in immediate danger is if they realized he went to the gala, but that's impossible with the mask I created for him.”</p>
<p>Cold rushed through Pidge's veins. “The red one?”</p>
<p>Shiro nodded.</p>
<p>“It fell off,” Pidge admitted, barely able to speak above a whisper as she met Shiro's wide eyes. “I stumbled and we fell into the fountain and it was knocked loose. I still have it in my room.”</p>
<p>“Then we act immediately,” Allura suggested as she stood and began to pace. “We'll need a way to distract Baroness Hawkins and her son for a day while a few of us see what we can find out around the estate. If Keith is well, we'll be able to speak with him and clear things up. If not...”</p>
<p>“We'll need a warrant,” Lance said with a sigh.</p>
<p>Allura nodded. “We can't just break into someone's house, no matter what we think is going on.”</p>
<p>“Would it really be breaking in if you show up and a door is wide open?” Curtis asked. “It would give you a reason to check and make sure everything is alright, wouldn't it?”</p>
<p>“Even then it would be our word against theirs,” Allura responded.</p>
<p>The debate stretched on into the night as they went back and forth, analyzing details and discarding the majority of their ideas. Eventually, they put together something that could work in their favor and while Allura wasn't thrilled about the possibility of law-breaking that was involved, even she agreed that it was the best chance they had.</p>
<p>All Pidge had to do was spend one more day in the company of Lotor. She could handle that.</p>
<p>Probably.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Two days passed before things lined up for them to proceed with their plan.</p>
<p>Allura and Pidge would remain at the palace, where Pidge would be entertaining Lotor and his mother for the afternoon. King Sam and Queen Colleen were pleased with the decision, hoping it meant their daughter was finally warming up to the only suitor who offered courtship, and made themselves available for a small luncheon to chat with their prospective in-laws.</p>
<p>Matt charmed his way out of joining them by insisting that he'd promised Princess Romelle a romantic tour of the kingdom, which wasn't a lie but was definitely part of their multi-step plan. Naturally, Lance and a pair of Polluxean guards – Tavo and Merla – joined them for their ride into the territory surrounding the palace.</p>
<p>Curtis and Shiro had the most freedom of any of them. They would wait until they were sure Honerva and Lotor were out of the manor and then they would sneak around and see what they could find out. Allura and Lance had insisted they not know all of the details to what “sneaking around” entailed, so they could rightfully claim ignorance if Shiro and Curtis found something by less-than-legal means.</p>
<p>They began on the grounds itself, searching for any sign of Keith, and when they found nothing Shiro led the way to the front door. With a wave of his hand, the bolt clicked into an unlocked position and the heavy door swung open to admit them.</p>
<p>“Impressive,” Curtis complimented.</p>
<p>Shiro grinned and then stepped inside, casting a second spell which created an orb of light, which hovered in front of them for a moment before beginning to drift down the hall towards the right. “Tracking spell,” he clarified for Curtis.</p>
<p>“Remind me why you don't use your magic like this more often?” Curtis asked.</p>
<p>“It makes people nervous. And it's more exhausting than it seems,” Shiro said with a light shrug. “Come on. We need to find Keith.”</p>
<p>They crept along, staying as quiet as they could just in case they weren't as alone as they thought. Just as Curtis was about to turn and ask Shiro another question, they both heard a gasp from up ahead, as a young woman wearing a plain apron came face-to-face with the seeking orb and then looked past it to see both of them.</p>
<p>Shiro took two hurried steps forwards and waved his hand in front of her face.</p>
<p>The woman wavered from side-to-side, her eyes slowly fluttering shut before her legs gave out and Curtis had to catch her and ease her down to the floor.</p>
<p>Shiro blinked back a wave of dizziness. He took a moment to let it settle and then wordlessly began to follow the seeking orb once again with Curtis close by his side. It led them to a door barricaded by a flat board that slid into holders on either side of the frame and then sank through.</p>
<p>“Let me,” Curtis said, stopping Shiro from lifting the board. He removed it on his own and set it aside before opening the door to allow Shiro inside first.</p>
<p>Leaning against the far wall, shivering from the chill of the cellar, was Keith.</p>
<p>Shiro nearly tripped down the steps in his haste to reach his friend, his hands fumbling with the bag at his side as he went for one of the potions he packed as a “just in case”. He kneeled in front of Keith, only slightly put at ease by the sight of his chest rising and falling and the occasional tremors from the chill.</p>
<p>“Keith, can you hear me?” he asked.</p>
<p>Keith groaned in response, straining to do something as simple as opening his eyes. He closed them again and muttered something about it being too bright.</p>
<p>Shiro snapped his fingers and the seeking orb fizzled out, leaving only the light streaming in through the door. “You're okay now. We're going to get you out. Keith, do you know how long you've been in here?”</p>
<p>“Days?” Keith guessed, his voice hoarse from disuse and lack of water. “Sorry, Shiro.”</p>
<p>“This is <em>not</em> your fault,” Shiro said firmly. He searched through his bag and came up with a potion in a green clay container, which he uncorked and held to Keith's lips. “Drink this. It will help soothe your throat.”</p>
<p>Keith drank without questioning what it was and made a face at the taste of it once he was through. “S'weird,” he muttered.</p>
<p>“I know, but it'll help. And so will this one,” Shiro said as he selected another container – one colored a sunny yellow. He helped Keith drink it and decided that it was enough to be able to move him. Any further healing could wait until they were someplace safe.</p>
<p>The empty containers went back into his bag and then Shiro gestured for Curtis to come over and help him lift Keith. They shuffled awkwardly as they adapted to how they could and could not move as a unit and then slowly made their way up the steps, back through the halls, and out the front door.</p>
<p>It took Keith a few minutes to realize they were going in the opposite direction from the path to Shiro's house. “Where are we going?”</p>
<p>“We're meeting up with someone who can help,” Curtis said.</p>
<p>Keith seemed to go even paler. “Someone else knows?”</p>
<p>“Without them, we never would have had this opportunity to come find you. It's thanks to them that any of this is happening,” Shiro said. “We can trust them, Keith. No one will think less of you for needing help.”</p>
<p>He perked up as the sound of hooves and the rattling of a carriage met their ears just as a pair of guards astride white horses crested the rise of the hill in front of them, followed by a gleaming open carriage. A third guard rode behind them on a dark gray mare.</p>
<p>“Just in time,” Curtis murmured. He glanced at Shiro, who nodded, and then transferred all of Keith's weight to his partner so he could run ahead and get their attention.</p>
<p>The guards came to an abrupt stop and the one with dark skin and hair demanded to know who he was.</p>
<p>“It's alright, Tavo, he's a friend.”</p>
<p>Shiro was relieved to hear Matt's voice. It meant everything was going according to plan.</p>
<p>Keith made a confused sound when he saw Matt jump down from the carriage to speak with Curtis. “Pidge?”</p>
<p>“Her brother,” Shiro correctly gently. “That is Prince Matthew. He's the reason we came to get you. We'll be traveling with him back to the palace and make use of their healers.”</p>
<p>Keith sucked in a deep breath in surprise. “Shiro, I can't! This isn't necessary!”</p>
<p>“You need more help and rest than I can give on my own,” Shiro told him. He adjusted his grip so he could begin weaving a spell with his free hand. “Rest easy, Keith. Everything will be alright from here out.”</p>
<p>“Using magic's unfair,” Keith slurred as his head drooped and he dropped into an easy sleep.</p>
<p>Guilt and his moral sense warred with his logical mind about whether or not it was <em>necessary</em> to use magic on his friend, and eventually logic won the battle as he helped lift Keith into the carriage and get him comfortable on the bench across from Princess Romelle, who watched everything with curiosity but not confusion.</p>
<p>“I apologize for cutting your excursion short, Princess Romelle,” Shiro said.</p>
<p>Princess Romelle smiled softly in return. “It is worth it if it means helping someone in need. There will be other days when I will be able to view this glorious kingdom.”</p>
<p>A diplomatic answer. One which sounded a little too well rehearsed for her to have been completely left in the dark about their plans.</p>
<p>Shiro glanced at Matt, who was too busy gazing fondly at his bride-to-be to take part in any conversation, so instead he lowered his eyes to Keith and took account of his newest injuries and the best ways to treat them.</p>
<p>Curtis took a seat next to the driver and they began to move.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Keith woke to the white walls and ceiling of an unfamiliar room. Heavy, warm green blankets covered him up to his neck and smelled pleasantly of some sort of sweet flower. Delicate curtains fluttered in the breeze coming in from an open window and he could hear birdsong, over top of which was the brush of paper against paper.</p>
<p>It took a great deal of effort just to turn his head, but when he did he was rewarded with the sight of Pidge seated at his bedside, her hair pulled up in a high bun, her amber eyes focused on the pages of the book in her hands. On the small table next to her was a bouquet of red carnations and silver-tipped ferns artfully arranged in a clay vase.</p>
<p>For a moment, all he could do was watch her as his awareness and ability to move slowly returned to him. When he did open his mouth, there was only one thing he could say and although it came out as barely more than a whisper, Pidge jumped as though startled by a loud sound.</p>
<p>“Keith!” she exclaimed, all but throwing her book aside as she rose from her chair. “How do you feel? Can I get you anything?”</p>
<p>“Water,” he croaked out, hoping that a drink would help clear his throat enough that he could speak more normally.</p>
<p>Pidge nodded and walked across the room to fetch a pitcher and a glass. “Shiro made lemon-honey water for you to drink until he can come make a hot tea. Apparently, this one can be kept warm with one of his charms but tea is best drank soon after brewing.”</p>
<p>Keith fought the urge to groan at having to drink another one of Shiro's concoctions and instead gave a small nod that made his head spin and had him horribly disoriented for a long minute. He blinked away the dark spots to find Pidge back by his bedside, holding out the cup with a concerned expression.</p>
<p>To his embarrassment, she had to hold the cup so he could drink.</p>
<p>The lemon-honey water wasn't nearly as bad as he expected, somehow achieving a nice balance between the sweetness of the honey and the sour of the lemon without being too thick. It quickly went to work on soothing his throat and after a few swallows, he felt like he could talk again.</p>
<p>“Where am I?”</p>
<p>“The palace,” Pidge responded promptly. She held the cup for a moment longer and then set it on the side table next to the vase and retook her seat. “You're in one of our guestrooms and Shiro and Curtis are borrowing one just across the hall. You've been here for two days, healing in some kind of magical coma that Shiro put you in.”</p>
<p>Keith felt even less comfortable once he fully understood where he was. He was just a servant. Hardly someone who belonged in such a nice room. “I’m sorry.”</p>
<p>“You’re not the one who should be apologizing. Keith, I… I’m the one who needs to apologize. I should have told you who I really was instead of letting you find out on your own. That wasn’t right. I just got so nervous that you wouldn’t want to talk to me anymore or that you’d treat me differently once you knew who I was and I didn’t want to lose that,” Pidge explained, bowing her head slightly. “It’s no excuse and I know that. I’m really sorry, Keith.”</p>
<p>Keith wished he could reach out and comfort her, but even if he weren’t recovering from days of being locked in darkness with no food and water, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to bring himself to touch the princess. “You have nothing to apologize for.”</p>
<p>“Then neither do you,” Pidge said.</p>
<p>Keith tried to think of a reply but came up empty-handed. The moment passed as the door opened and Shiro stepped inside with a tray. He brightened up when he saw Keith awake.</p>
<p>“Oh good! I brought you both some food,” he said as he bustled inside. “It’ll be soup for you until you regain some of your strength, Keith. How are you feeling?”</p>
<p>“Tired. Sore,” Keith admitted, knowing there was no lying to the man.</p>
<p>Shiro nodded. “That’s all normal. You’ll probably spend the next few days sleeping while the magic does its work.” He handed off one bowl to Pidge and then walked around to the chair on the other side of the bed.</p>
<p>Keith warily eyed the bowl in his hands. “You’re not going to put me to sleep again, are you?”</p>
<p>“No, not like before. I’m sorry about that, by the way. I didn’t think I’d be able to get you here without stressing you out so badly that you’d become even more ill,” Shiro told him. He set everything down so he could prop Keith up with an extra pillow they collected just for the occasion. </p>
<p>While Shiro helped Keith sit up and eat, Pidge carefully kept her gaze averted and ate her own food in slow, small bites. By the time she finished, Keith was nearly done with his own, his stomach almost unpleasantly full despite the smaller amount in his bowl.</p>
<p>“M’done,” he muttered when Shiro tried to get him to keep eating. He closed his eyes for a moment. “What now? I mean, what about my home? I can’t go back again.”</p>
<p>“No. At least, not right now,” Shiro agreed, giving Pidge a pointed look over the bed.</p>
<p>Keith followed his gaze. “Not right now…?”</p>
<p>“I think I’ll leave you two to talk,” Shiro said as he stood. He walked back around to collect Pidge’s bowl and left after promising he’d be back in an hour to deliver a special tea for Keith to drink.</p>
<p>“What did he mean by ‘not right now’?” Keith tried again.</p>
<p>Pidge took a deep breath as though steeling her nerves for something that would be difficult to say. “My brother, Matt, has been doing some research ever since I told him about you. Nothing bad! He was just curious, especially when we realized Lotor is your stepbrother.”</p>
<p>A cold chill swept through Keith. “How did…?”</p>
<p>“It was just a few of the things you said when we talked that night. And then Matt’s research seemed to confirm all of that… You’re the son of Baron Travis Hawkins and the rightful heir to his estate and title,” Pidge said.</p>
<p>And then all Keith felt was confusion. “That’s not right. The title goes to the oldest and that would be Lotor.”</p>
<p>“The title passes to the <em>firstborn</em> son,” Pidge corrected. “That’s you, Keith. You’re the one whose name is listed in the court records. It’s been unchanged for twelve years. The last update to the record was to note that he remarried and that Honerva would act as Baroness until you came of age to take up the title. <em>You</em> are the Baron of the Hawkins estate, not Lotor.”</p>
<p>Keith turned his head to look straight up at the ceiling, feeling a little dizzy from the news.</p>
<p>The estate was his.</p>
<p>They had taken his childhood home from him unlawfully and made him feel as though he was worthless for so long when he was meant to be learning to take over for his dad.</p>
<p>Baron Keith Hawkins.</p>
<p>That was going to take a lot of getting used to.</p>
<p>“We have a plan, but it will all have to wait until you’re well enough to walk and get around on your own again,” Pidge said.</p>
<p>Keith attempted a nod. “Yeah.”</p>
<p>He was aware of Pidge talking a little more, telling him about the history of the estate and how his ancestor’s earned their title because of the messenger hawks they raised and trained for the royal family. He drifted off to sleep to the sound of her soft voice.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>As Shiro mentioned, Keith spent several days drifting in and out of sleep. Sometimes Pidge was there. Sometimes it was Shiro or Curtis. Occasionally he woke to find Prince Matt sitting there, silently keeping him company. The first time had been so awkward that Keith pretended to still be asleep until Shiro came in to make him drink more of his strange tea concoctions - licorice remained his least favorite and he’d be happy if Shiro never made it for him again.</p>
<p>Each day his strength returned a little more until Shiro cleared him for being allowed to get up and move around the room. His appetite grew with his strength and soon he was able to handle a full meal that wasn’t soup.</p>
<p>During the times he was awake he got caught up with their plans to expose Honerva and Lotor and make it so they could never hurt anyone else again, adding his own details so they could prepare for their attempts to weasel their way out of trouble. By the time Keith was able to stay awake for more than an hour, they were just about ready to put their plans into motion.</p>
<p>They would call Lotor and Honerva to court, hoping they would believe it was the will of the King and Queen to approve a formal courtship between Lotor and the princess. There, they would reveal the truth.</p>
<p>It all hinged on Keith’s ability to remain standing long enough to see them brought to justice.</p>
<p>“You’ll need appropriate clothing, as well,” Matt mentioned, looking him up and down. “I could get my tailor to make you something, but I’m not sure he’ll be able to finish in time. Anything I already have won’t be appropriate for you either, otherwise I’d offer.”</p>
<p>“I can take care of that,” Shiro promised.</p>
<p>“Another glamour?” Keith guessed.</p>
<p>Shiro nodded. “It’ll be simple enough to make you something that reflects your heritage. Are there any portraits of your father that I could see to get an idea of what I should create?”</p>
<p>It was Matt who answered. “There was a decent one in the court record. I’ll show you later.”</p>
<p>Conversations with Pidge were vastly different, full of colorful stories and long rambling rants about all of the things they hated about Lotor. Keith found himself laughing every time Pidge mimicked Lotor’s voice and tried to repay her by telling her the more amusing stories of growing up with him as a stepbrother, like all of the tantrums he’d thrown over the years.</p>
<p>By the time the day came to confront his stepfamily, Keith didn’t feel nearly as nervous as he expected to.</p>
<p>After so many years of their abuse and of being told he wasn’t good enough and fearing that his father’s house would forever be a prison to him instead of a home, Keith was finally able to stand up tall and proud and reclaim it all for himself.</p>
<p>Shiro was his first and only visitor that morning, as Pidge and Matt prepared on their own for what was coming. They ate together and then Shiro had him stand still while he used his magic to weave a brand new glamour for the occasion.</p>
<p>Keith had expected colors similar to the suit Shiro created for the ball, but instead the color palette and style were vastly different.</p>
<p>The top was a high-neck, military-style jacket in deep plum and with a black inner lining. The epaulets on each shoulder were lavender with silver fringe, which matched the belt around his waist.  His pants and shoes were solid blacks.</p>
<p>Keith eyed his reflection with mild unease, feeling entirely out of his element as Shiro stepped up and began to style his hair by hand. “Do you really think I can do this?”</p>
<p>“I have always believed in you, Keith. You are more than ready,” Shiro said. He tied off Keith’s hair with a strip of fabric that matched the purple of his clothing, leaving it in a simple low ponytail. “Now you just need to believe it too.”</p>
<p>Keith nodded but said nothing else as he followed Shiro out of the room and through the wide halls of the palace to the throne room, where a crowd of available nobles had gathered in the hope that they would be among the first to hear news about the newest royal courtship.</p>
<p>He paused outside the door to steel his nerves for what was waiting for him on the other side.. “I am ready.”</p>
<p>Shiro smiled and opened the door for him.</p>
<p>The low murmur of voices met Keith's ears as he stepped into the room. Several people glanced his way and then turned again to stare, but Keith didn't pay them any attention and put all of his focus on the royal family at the other end of the room. His eyes landed on the King and Queen first, who sat upon their throne with benevolent smiles and occasionally bent their heads together to whisper something. To their right stood Prince Matt and a beautiful woman with blond hair and a soft pink gown, who Keith rightfully assumed to be Princess Romelle of Polluxea.</p>
<p>When he looked at Pidge, he nearly stopped walking. It was only because of how many times he recited his role in their plans that he continued on, but from that moment on his eyes never left her.</p>
<p><em>Emerald green suited her,</em> he couldn't help but think as he watched her stand there in a gown that shimmered as though it was covered in gems. Around her neck was a simple, round green stone on a golden chain.</p>
<p>Enter the room. Back straight, head held high. Act as though there is no other place you belong. (Easy for Prince Matt to say.)</p>
<p>Walk to the throne and stop at the foot of the stairs, no less than three feet from the guards on either side. Bow respectfully to the King and Queen. Then to Prince Matt and finally to Pidge.</p>
<p>Keith followed Prince Matt's instructions to the letter, but as he turned to bow to Pidge, someone forced their way through the crowd and reached out as if to yank him away, but their hand was never allowed to make contact.</p>
<p>In the blink of an eye, Lance was there in front of him as guards closed in around the royal family to shield them from the potential danger.</p>
<p>“Madam, I ask that you compose yourself,” Lance snapped.</p>
<p>Keith couldn't help but flinch away at the utterly thunderous look on Honerva's face as Lance continued to hold onto her wrist, unwilling to let go until he was sure she wouldn't strike out in rage. Lotor appeared over her shoulder in the crowd, but he stayed back and tried to keep his face impassive, though Keith could see his fury roiling beneath the surface.</p>
<p>It took a moment, but Honerva calmed herself enough that Lance let go. “That boy is nothing more than a servant. I merely wished to save their Majesties from being forced to listen to any of the lies that spill forth from his mouth.”</p>
<p>“I fear you have been misinformed, Madam,” Prince Matt spoke up. “If you would wait but a moment, he was about to introduce himself to the court.”</p>
<p>Honerva scoffed. “There is no need to play along with his foolish games. Allow me to take him home and deliver appropriate punishment for his misdeeds.”</p>
<p>Again, whispers broke out in the room as people latched onto her words and took them as the truth. Why wouldn't they? After all, Baroness Honerva was a lady of noble birth and was well-known in their circles, as was her son, Lotor. If she said the well-dressed man in front of them was nothing more than a servant boy playing dress-up, then why wouldn't they believe her?</p>
<p>King Sam stood from his throne and held up a hand, silently calling for everyone to be quiet. “I would like to hear what this young man has to say.”</p>
<p>Chin up.</p>
<p>Back straight.</p>
<p>Keith folded his right arm over his midsection and bowed one last time. “Your Majesties, my name is Keith Hawkins, son of the late Baron Travis Hawkins and his first wife, Krolia Hawkins. I am here to ask that you see justice carried out in regards to the Hawkins estate, of which I am the rightful heir.”</p>
<p>He might as well have said he was the grandson of the emperor of a foreign land with the amount of pandemonium that broke out in the throne room. Honerva's angry screech could barely be made out as the other nobles broke out into loud questions and demands, each wanting to know if it was true.</p>
<p>Keith stood in the middle of it all, letting the voices wash over him as he kept his focus on Pidge, who smiled encouragingly. That alone kept him grounded.</p>
<p>Well, that and the fact that Lance remained by his side as a physical blockade between him and Honerva until the other guards arrived to take her into custody until they could get to the truth of what had been revealed. Lotor attempted to slip away into the crowds and escape unnoticed, but he was caught as well and taken away, though he didn't struggle nearly as much as his mother, perhaps hoping that by going along willingly he could show his innocence.</p>
<p>Keith was led away by Lance, who was acting on Prince Matt's orders and took him back to the nice guest room where he'd spent the past week recovering.</p>
<p>“Nice job, Keith,” Lance complimented. “All it'll take is for the King and Queen to check the records themselves and this will all get sorted out. I bet you'll be glad when this is all over.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Keith agreed.</p>
<p>At long last, his nightmare was coming to an end.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>The Hawkins estate was a beautiful property when it was being properly cared for. Pidge almost couldn't believe it was the same place when she finally found the chance to visit again nearly a year after the debacle with Honerva and Lotor. Under a new Baron, the estate flourished in more ways than one.</p>
<p>With Allura and Lance following like a pair of persistent shadows, Pidge was led around to the back gardens, where an ornate table and chairs waited beneath the shade of a massive oak. Keith stood there, dressed down in soft reds and black, and smiled when he saw her.</p>
<p>“Princess,” he greeted with a smile and a friendly bow.</p>
<p>“Baron Hawkins,” she responded with an easy nod.</p>
<p>They both grinned and dropped all formalities as they sat and began to catch up on everything that had changed since they last spoke. It <em>had</em> been a while, as Keith busied himself with the spring planting and some of the heavy manual labor that needed to be done, even though he had staff who were more than capable of doing it all themselves. Keith said that he enjoyed the work when he wasn't forced to do it and having company made it even better.</p>
<p>“Mostly, I've been going through my parents' old things. There was a lot more than I expected locked away in some of the old rooms. Like my mother's journals. I felt odd about reading them at first, but it's the only chance I have to get to know what kind of person she was,” Keith admitted.</p>
<p>Pidge reached across the table and took his hand. “I don't think she'd mind. So, what have you learned?”</p>
<p>“She was from Daibazaal. That's where my dad learned a lot of new stories and legends that he told me when I was young. But she left near the end of the revolution, though she never said why in any of the journals. At least, she didn't say in any of the ones I read.”</p>
<p>Pidge couldn't help but smile as she listened to the way he spoke of his parents. His joy at getting to learn more about them, even if it was from an old journal, warmed her heart.</p>
<p>“Did you know in Daibazaal they don't begin courtship by gifting a piece of jewelry?”</p>
<p>Pidge blinked in surprise, unsure of how the conversation drifted to courtship. She must have gotten more lost in her thoughts than she meant to. “I didn't know. What do they do instead?”</p>
<p>“In Daibazaal, a bouquet of carnations is the traditional first gift. The rarer the color, the better the proof of their love.” Keith reached into his jacket and withdrew a thin box, which he placed on the table in front of her. “My dad wanted to combine their traditions, so he had this made for her.”</p>
<p>She couldn't stop a startled gasp from breaking past her lips as he cracked open the box to reveal an ornate bracelet with links designed to resemble tiny flowers. Most of it was silver, including the delicate leaves, but the flowers themselves were some sort of purple crystal.</p>
<p>“Purple carnations to represent Daibazaal,” Keith said softly. “I was hoping you would accept it as my first gift to you.”</p>
<p>Pidge's eyes flickered up to Keith's face and remained there as she struggled to find her words. Finally, she snapped out of it. “Yes. Yes, of course, I will!”</p>
<p>Keith breathed out in relief, his smile turning brighter than she'd ever seen. With a gentleness that endeared her even more to him, he helped her put on the bracelet and they both took a moment to admire the way it looked against her pale skin.</p>
<p>And while it didn't happen in the way he ever expected it to, Keith realized at that moment that all of his hopes and dreams for his own future were finally beginning to come true.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That wraps up this little Cinderella AU! If you all enjoyed this, please leave a comment.</p>
<p>The next thing I'll be working on is the sequel to The Smallest Blade, which will pick up right where that fic left off. It may be a little while before you see any of it, since I want to start getting ahead on a few fics for Kidgetober. <br/>What's Kidgetober, you ask? It's a full month of Kidge prompts during October, all related to autumn or spooky things or Halloween itself. You can check out the tumblr here: https://kidgetober.tumblr.com/</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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